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PRINTED  FOR  THE  MALONE  SOCIETY  BY 

HORACE  HART  M.A.,  AT  THE 

OXFORD  UNIVERSITY 

PRESS 


.c 


HE  BOOK  OF 
SIR  THOMAS  MORE 


^  \  y 


THE  MALONE  SOCIETY 
REPRINTS      Vc.^i 
191 1 


This  edition  of  Sir  Thomas  More  has  been  prepared 
by  the  General  Editor. 

Nov.  191 1.  W.  W.  Greg. 


The  manuscript  of  Sir  Thomas  More  is  preserved  in  the 
British  Museum,  where  it  is  classed  as  MS.  Harley  7368.  It  has 
therefore  been  in  the  possession  of  the  nation  since  1753,  but 
unfortunately  nothing  seems  to  be  known  as  to  its  previous 
history.  A  thin  folio  volume,  the  leaves  of  which  measure 
about  1 2|  X  8|  inches,  it  was  originally  covered  with  a  vellum 
wrapper  formed  of  a  double  leaf  of  a  Latin  manuscript  apparently 
of  the  thirteenth  century,  and  on  this  wrapper  the  title  of  the 
play,  *  The  Booke  of  Sir  Thomas  Moore,'  was  written  in  a  large 
formal  hand.  When  the  last  edition  of  the  Harleian  Catalogue 
was  prepared  in  1808  More  formed  one  volume  with  the 
Humorous  Lovers  (MS.  7367).  These  items  have  now  been 
separated,  and  More  has  been  bound  by  itself.  The  original 
wrapper  is  still  preserved  and  now  constitutes  fols.  i  and  2. 
Thus  the  play  itself  begins  on  fol.  3. 

The  number  of  leaves  of  which  the  manuscript  originally 
consisted  cannot  now  be  determined  with  certainty,  for  the 
individual  leaves  have  been  detached  and  mounted,  while  the 
closeness  of  the  writing,  the  absorbent  nature  of  the  paper,  and 
in  parts  the  heaviness  of  the  mending,  put  any  collation  by 
watermarks,  if  such  exist,  out  of  the  question.  AH  we  can  say 
is  that  thirteen  original  leaves  remain  and  that  there  are  two 
lacunae.  Thus  we  have  fols.  3-5,  gap,  iq-ii,  gap,  14-15, 
17-22,  the  verso  of  the  last  leaf  being  blank.  The  other  leaves 
are  later  insertions.  The  extent  of  the  lacunae  is  doubtful, 
but  to  judge  from  the  subject  matter  it  would  seem  that  after 
fol.  5  possibly,  and  after  fol.  1 1  probably,  not  more  than  a  single 
leaf  is  absent.  In  that  case  there  presumably  was  once  a  blank 
leaf  at  the  end ;  and  if  we  imagine  the  original  manuscript  to 
have  consisted  of  eight  sheets  we  shall  not  be  far  wrong. 

But  considerable  additions  have  been  made  at  a  later  date. 
After  fol.  5  has  been  inserted  a  leaf,  fol.  6,  written  on  one  side 
only,  which  we  shall  see  belongs,  if  anywhere,  to  a  much  later 
portion  of  the  play.  After  fol.  6  appear  three  leaves,  fols.  7-9, 
the  verso  of  the  third  being  blank,  designed  to  replace  the 
original  leaf  or  leaves  cancelled  after  fol.  5  as  well  as  matter 


deleted  on  fol.  ^^  itself.  So  again  after  fol.  1 1  are  inserted  two 
leaves,  fols.  12  and  13,  intended  to  fill  the  later  lacuna  and 
replace  most  of  fol.  ii**  and  the  whole  of  fol.  14*.  Besides  this 
two  slips  of  paper,  each  measuring  about  6x5  inches,  were 
pasted  over  cancelled  matter  on  the  lower  portions  of  fols.  11^ 
and  14^  respectively.  They  contain  minor  additions  intended 
to  stand  at  the  beginning  and  end  of  the  main  insertion  of 
fols.  1 2  and  1 3.  These  slips  have  recently  been  soaked  off  and 
mounted  as  separate  leaves,  fols.  11*  and  13*,  so  that  the 
underlying  text  can  now  be  read  for  the  first  time  since  the 
sixteenth  century.  Lastly,  after  fol.  15  we  find  one  leaf,  fol.  16, 
of  which  the  recto  and  part  only  of  the  verso  are  filled,  containing 
an  addition  to  be  made  to  the  text  on  fol.  1 7^ 

The  manuscript,  especially  the  original  portion,  has  un- 
fortunately suffered  considerably  at  the  hand  of  time.  The 
margins  of  many  of  the  leaves,  in  particular  the  top  and  bottom 
edges  and  the  outer  corners,  are  discoloured  and  brittle,  and 
one  would  almost  suppose  that  they  had  at  some  time  been 
exposed  to  fire,  were  it  not  for  the  comparatively  uninjured  state 
of  some  at  least  of  the  additional  leaves,  and  for  the  fact  that 
the  cover,  though  also  worn  and  damaged,  does  not  exhibit  the 
crinkling  which  vellum  always  undergoes  when  exposed  to  heat. 
The  injury  must  therefore  be  ascribed  to  the  action  of  air  and 
dust  upon  a  peculiarly  and  unfortunately  constituted  paper. 
Subsequent  to  the  arrival  of  the  manuscript  at  the  British 
Museum,  I  suppose  at  the  time  it  was  rebound,  and  certainly 
not  before  1844,  the  date  of  Dyce's  edition,  it  has  been  thoroughly 
and  even  drastically  mended.  Not  only  have  the  edges  of  the 
leaves  been  repaired,  and  it  would  seem  a  good  deal  of  the  text 
obliterated  which  more  careful  handling  might  have  preserved, 
but  in  the  case  of  the  tenderer  leaves  both  sides  have  been 
pasted  over  with  thick  yellow  tracing  paper,  in  a  manner  to 
suggest  that  more  importance  was  attached  to  the  preservation 
of  a  particular  piece  of  paper  than  of  the  text  of  which  it  was 
the  medium.  And  even  so  the  mischief  has  not  been  arrested, 
for  several  of  the  leaves  are  now  again  in  need  of  repair,  which 

vi 


it  may  be  presumed  they  will  soon  receive  in  a  more  careful  and 
reasonable  manner. 

Seven  different  hands  appear  in  the  manuscript  itself,  apart 
from  the  vellum  wrapper.  To  begin  with  there  is  the  Scribe  of 
the  original  play,  to  whom  I  shall  refer  by  the  letter  S.  He 
writes  a  good  regular  hand,  not  typically  professional,  rarely  if 
ever  presenting  serious  difficulties  except  where  it  has  been 
obscured  by  extraneous  causes.  It  is  an  English  hand,  with 
Itahan  forms  freely,  if  not  consistently,  interspersed  to  distinguish 
proper  names  and  the  like.  On  the  whole  little  difficulty  is 
experienced  in  rendering  the  one  by  roman  and  the  other  by 
italic  type,  the  writer's  intention  being  usually  clear  though  the 
two  styles,  particularly  as  regards  majuscules,  are  not  always 
kept  clearly  apart.  The  fault  of  S  is  that  the  lines  are  written 
very  close  together,  often  eighty  or  more  to  a  folio  page,  and 
that  the  descenders  are  of  inordinate  length,  so  that  in  a 
particular  line  the  reader  is  often  bothered  by  the  intrusion  of 
parts  of  letters  belonging  to  two  lines  above.  This  would  have 
mattered  less  had  the  paper  been  better,  but  that  used  was 
rather  absorbent  and  showed  every  line  through.  The  result  is 
that  there  are  many  passages,  even  on  pages  not  covered  with 
tracing  paper,  where  owing  to  the  penetration  of  the  ink  the  text 
can  only  be  laboriously  spelt  out  letter  by  letter.  Where  we 
have  to  contend  with  decay  and  repairs  as  well,  the  difficulties 
are,  of  course,  enormously  increased  and  prove  in  some  cases 
insurmountable.  The  ink  used  is  of  a  rich  dark  brown  which 
retains  a  good  colour  even  when  quite  thin.  The  surface  is 
rather  mat,  perhaps  owing  to  the  absorbent  quality  of  the  paper. 
The  scribe's  spelling  is  remarkable  for  its  regularity,  and  even, 
if  we  allow  for  a  few  peculiarities  such  as  the  doubling  of  the  *  o ' 
in  words  like  *  doth '  and  *  love '  and  '  worthy ',  for  its  modernity. 
His  punctuation  too  is  as  a  rule  adequate,  and  distinguishes  itself 
chiefly  by  a  curious  tendency  to  place  a  colon,  particularly  at 
the  end  of  the  penultimate  line  of  a  speech,  in  cases  where 
a  modem  writer  would  hesitate  to  put  any  stop  at  all.  This 
peculiarity  is  also  occasionally  met  with  in  printed  plays  of  the 

vii 


period,  and  most  likely  indicates  some  rhetorical  trick  in  the 
delivery  of  Elizabethan  actors.  It  is  clear  that  the  scribe  was 
both  skilled  and  conscientious.  His  errors  are  few.  As  a  rule 
all  his  letters  are  well  formed,  but  he  was  aware  that  there  were 
some  exceptions.  For  instance,  he  was  apt  to  neglect  the  head 
of  his  *  h ' ;  and  over  and  over  again  he  has  gone  back  and 
carefully  added  the  loop,  although  no  real  ambiguity  could  ever 
arise  from  the  defect. 

Five  distinct  hands  appear  in  the  additions,  and  have  been 
lettered  A  to  E.  A  appears  on  fol.  6  and  nowhere  else.  It  is 
an  English  hand,  almost  devoid  of  Italian  intermixture,  clear 
and  legible  with  a  good  deal  of  individual  character.  The  ink 
is  grey  and  shows  hardly  any  tinge  of  brown  except  where  the 
paper  has  become  stained  near  the  edge.  The  punctuation  is 
rather  scanty.  The  interest  of  the  hand  lies  in  the  fact  that  the 
writer  was  accustomed  to  the  old  convention  with  regard  to 
the  use  of  *  u '  and  *  v ',  but  was  trying  to  adopt  the  new.  He 
instinctively  and  repeatedly  writes  '  u '  for  a  medial  consonant, 
but  in  two  cases  he  has  gone  back  and  altered  it  to  '  v '.  It  is 
significant  that  he  also  uses  the  tailed  *  j '  with  its  modern  value. 

B  is  an  interesting  hand,  being  by  far  the  worst  in  the  volume. 
It  is  a  current  hand  of  an  English  type,  making  little  attempt  at 
the  regular  formation  of  individual  letters,  and  therefore  difficult 
to  reproduce  in  print.  It  is  in  fact  the  sort  of  hand  in  which  an 
author  would  write  his  rough  draft.  The  punctuation  is  negligible. 
In  this  hand  are  written  fol.  7*  and  the  whole  of  fol.  16.  It  also 
appears  in  various  marginal  additions  to  the  text  as  written  by  S, 
namely  at  *502,  *6o9,  *638,  *647.  The  same  may  be  true  as 
regards  the  direction  at  *735  and  the  crosses  at  418  and  II  18, 
but  this  is  far  from  certain.  The  ink  varies.  On  fol.  7*  it  is  not 
unlike  that  of  S,  but  thinner  and  slightly  yellower  in  colour. 
So  too  in  the  marginal  additions.  On  fol.  16,  however,  though 
the  colour  appears  to  be  the  same  the  ink  is  much  thicker  and 
darker. 

C  is  the  most  important  of  the  additional  hands.  In  it  are 
written  fols.  7^  12*,  I2^  13%  and  the  upper  half  of  I3^  as  well 

viii 


as  1 1  *  and  1 3*.  The  scribe  to  whom  it  belonged  also  edits  D 
freely  and  adds  frequent  notes  and  directions  both  to  B  and  S. 
His  work  on  the  former  will  be  found  to  run  all  through 
II  123-270.  His  directions  occur  at  410,  *S53,  t954,  tusS, 
VI  I,  33.  It  is  not  quite  certain  whether  II  65  is  his.  Two 
corrections  in  B,  at  II  17  and  42,  may  also  be  reasonably  assigned 
to  his  pen.  His  hand  is  well  formed,  both  as  regards  English 
and  Italian  script,  and  has  more  pretence  to  beauty  or  at  least 
ornament  than  any  other  appearing  in  the  manuscript.  For 
punctuation  there  is  little  beyond  a  point  which  is  usually  placed 
rather  high,  and  even  this  is  not  of  very  frequent  appearance. 
A  peculiarity  of  the  hand  is  a  marked  tendency  to  form  the  '  p  ' 
as  if  it  were  '  p '.  The  ink  used  is  very  similar  to  that  of  S, 
possibly  a  trifle  richer  in  colour  but  hardly  distinguishable. 
Like  B's  it  varies  somewhat,  though  not  to  the  same  extent. 

D,  a  purely  English  hand  apparently,  occurs  on  fols.  8%  8^  9* 
only,  the  two  former  pages  being  now  badly  obscured  by  trac- 
ing paper.  It  is  certainly  a  different  hand  from  C,  with  which 
it  has  been  sometimes  confused,  but  C  is  found  correcting  it 
rather  freely.  It  has,  for  instance,  the  distinction  of  forming  its 
'  p '  in  the  usual  manner  and  of  also  using  '  p '  repeatedly  and 
correctly.  There  is  very  little  punctuation.  The  ink  is  quite 
unmistakable,  being  of  a  peculiar  muddy  yellow.  It  is  this  hand  / 
which  has  been  thought  to  be  Shakespeare's. 

The  last  additional  hand,  E,  is  found  only  on  the  lower  half  of 
fol.  I3\  English  and  Italian  st}4es  are  used  and  adequately 
distinguished,  though  neither  is  very  carefully  formed.  The 
short  passage  is  rather  fully  punctuated,  a  characteristic  being 
the  partiality  for  the  colon,  which  regularly  appears  after  the 
speaker's  name  (as  in  certain  printed  plays)  and  sometimes  at 
the  end  of  speeches.  The  ink  is  distinctly  blacker  than  that 
used  by  C,  but  still  brown  rather  than  grey.  A  comparison  with 
MS.  Addit.  30262,  fol.  66^  at  the  British  Museum,  and  with 
Henslowe's  Diary,  fols.  loi  and  1 14,  at  Dulwich  College,  suggests 
that  this  hand  may  be  Thomas  Dekker's.  There  is  at  least 
what   I   should  call   a  strong  resemblance   between   the  two. 

ix  b 


Sir  George  Warner  says,  a  certain  resemblance.  We  probably 
mean  much  the  same  thing,  and  this  may  perhaps  be  best 
expressed  by  a  negative,  namely  that  there  is  nothing  in  the  two 
hands  to  suggest  that  they  are  not  the  same.  Repeated  com- 
parison has  deepened  my  own  feeling  that  they  are. 

Finally  we  have  the  hand  of  Edmund  Tilney,  Master  of  the 
Revels,  and  in  that  capacity  censor  of  the  drama.  He  writes  in 
the  margin  of  the  first  page  (fol.  3*)  a  very  conditional  licence. 
In  this  his  hand  appears  in  a  clear  Italian  script,  of  no  very 
individual  character.  The  ink  used  is  not  unlike  that  of  S,  but 
slightly  blacker  in  colour,  in  fact  very  close  to  E's.  He  also 
made  a  note,  'Mend  y**',  in  the  margin  of  fol.  5*  {320),  and 
another,  'all  altr"  (?),  on  fol.  17^  (11256),  and  is  responsible  for 
some  other  marks  of  disapproval  on  the  same  pages.  Three 
alterations  made  by  him  in  the  text  also  occur  on  fol.  5*,  at  352, 
364,  368.  Probable  marks  of  his  appear  on  fol.  3*  (see  24  and 
45)  and  may  be  connected  with  his  initial  note.  His  hand  is 
designated  by  the  letter  T. 

Tilney  does  not  seem  to  have  been  responsible  for  the  note 
on  fol.  11^  (*735),  which  Dyce  printed  as  'This  must  be  newe 
written ',  but  which  is  now  almost  illegible.  If  it  is  by  any  of 
the  hands  mentioned,  B  would  seem  the  most  likely,  but  it  is  of 
course  quite  possible  that  the  above  list  is  incomplete.  For 
instance,  it  is  not  quite  certain  whether  the  marginal  note  at  V  i 
is  in  the  same  hand  as  the  text,  while  a  few  of  the  alterations 
ascribed  to  C  are,  it  will  be  noticed,  doubtful.  There  are  also 
indications  that  a  much  later  hand  has  been  at  work  on  the 
manuscript  here  and  there.  A  word  has  been  scribbled  in  the 
margin  of  fol.  3**  (see  1 1 1  and  p.  xx  below)  in  what  looks  like 
modern  ink,  though  it  is  impossible  to  make  certain  through  the 
covering  of  tracing  paper.  Alterations  almost  certainly  in 
modern  ink  occur  at  II  22,  52,  264,  VI  26,  47,  52,  53,  61  ;  less 
certain  are  those  at  II  193,  ti203,  and  62,  this  last  line  being 
obscured  by  tracing  paper.  At  tiii7  and  finQ  there  appear 
to  be  modern  blots.  Further  there  are  a  number  of  small 
pencil  crosses  (which  will  be  found  mentioned  in  the  notes)  which 


must  have  been  made  in  quite  modern  times,  though  before  the 
manuscript  was  repaired. 

Something  must  be  said  as  to  the  manner  in  which  the 
additions  have  been  made.  Addition  I  is  altogether  rather 
a  puzzle.  It  evidently  has  some  connexion  with  the  proposed 
omissions  on  fol.  19*.  The  reason  for  these  is  hardly  clear. 
The  fear  of  possible  offence  in  11491-3  is  no  adequate  reason  for 
the  deletion  of  11471-1 501,  and  can  have  nothing  whatever  to  do 
with  that  of  f  1 506- 1 6.  Moreover  these  deletions  leave  f  1 502-5 
in  impossibly  awkward  isolation  ;  nor  is  it  easy  to  combine  these 
lines  with  the  proposed  addition.  Clearly  in  this  case  the 
process  of  revision  is  incomplete.  Addition  VI,  on  the  other 
hand,  is  perfectly  straightforward,  being  an  additional  scene 
inserted  at  the  juncture  of  two  original  ones  on  fol.  1 7*.  The 
new  scene  was  written  by  B,  and  fitted  into  its  place  by  C. 
There  remain  the  two  substantial  insertions  corresponding  to 
the  two  lacunae  in  the  original  text  Both  present  interesting 
features.     I  take  the  second  first. 

Between  fols.  1 1  and  1 4  two  leaves  are  inserted  (Addition  IV). 
These  contain  a  long  continuous  scene  in  which  first  More 
and  Faukner,  then  More  and  Erasmus,  and  then  again  More 
and  Faukner,  are  the  chief  characters.  The  four  pages  contain 
242  lines.  Portions  of  the  unrevised  version  of  this  scene  fill 
most  of  fol.  11^  (*735-96)  with  More  and  Erasmus,  and  the 
whole  of  fol.  14*  (1797-877)  with  More  and  Faukner  dialogue. 
This  makes  143  lines,  so  that,  supposing  only  a  single  leaf  lost, 
the  original  text  must  have  been  distinctly  longer  than  the 
revised.  It  is  of  course  not  certain  whether  the  original  text 
was  continuous,  or  whether  there  were  two  distinct  scenes,  but 
the  appearance  of  Surrey  in  both  parts  suggests  the  former 
alternative  as  the  more  likely.  In  that  case  the  chief  alteration 
made  in  revision  was  to  cut  the  Faukner  portion  into  two  and 
to  insert  the  Erasmus  part  in  the  middle.  This  seems  on  the 
whole  to  have  been  an  improvement  dramatically,  though  the 
advantage  was  perhaps  gained  at  some  sacrifice  of  clearness  in 
the  action.     But  the  reviser's  efforts  did  not  end  here.    A  speech 

xi 


by  More  (Addition  III)  was  written  on  a  loose  slip  and  pasted 
on  to  fol.  II^  It  was  clearly  an  afterthought  and  has  no  very 
close  connexion  with  what  follows,  though  from  its  position  it  is 
fairly  evident  that  it  was  meant  to  be  somehow  inserted  at  the 
beginning  of  the  main  addition.  On  another  slip  (Addition  V), 
pasted  on  to  fol.  14*,  was  written  another  speech  by  More,  and 
this  was  definitely  connected  with  what  follows,  the  first  words  on 
fol.  14'' being  repeated  at  the  foot  of  the  slip.  And  yet  such  a 
crude  insertion  is  manifestly  impossible,  for  the  action  is  not 
continuous.  The  only  means  of  utilizing  this  speech  and  a  yet 
later  addition  made  in  the  margin,  is  by  constituting  them  a 
separate  scene,  though  this  does  not  appear  to  have  been  the 
intention  of  the  writer. 

Equally  complicated,  though  in  a  different  way,  is  the  revision 
that  supplements  the  first  lacuna  (Addition  II).     On  fol.  <,^  we 
find  an  entire  scene,  that  of  the  riots,  cancelled,  as  is  also  all 
that  remains  of  a  scene  between  certain  prentices.     After  the 
break  the  text  resumes  on  fol.  10*  in  the  middle  of  the  scene 
in  which  More  quells  the  insurrection.      The  inserted  matter 
contains  a  revision  of  the  riot  scene,  a  scene  apparently  at  the 
Guildhall  of  which  no  trace  survives  in  the  original  text,  and 
a  new  beginning  to  the  insurrection  scene,  made  to  fit  on  to 
the  old  part  immediately  after  More's  speech  to  the  rebels.    The 
prentice  scene  vanishes.    Its  place  would  seem  to  have  been  taken 
by  the  Guildhall  scene.     This  I  conjecture  to  be  entirely  new. 
It  reports  in  the  opening  speeches  the  wounding  of  Sir  John 
Munday  by  certain  prentices,  an  incident  which  was  presumably 
represented  in  the  cancelled  scene.     Moreover  if  my  surmise  is 
correct  the  matter  altogether  lost  from  the  original  manuscript 
(the  end  of  scene  v  and  beginning  of  scene  vi)  can  reasonably 
be  supposed  to  have  filled  one  leaf,  while  if  we  have  to  allow 
for  an  earlier  draft  of  the  Guildhall  scene  (scene  v*)  as  well,  it  is 
difficult  to  see  how  the  lost  matter  could  either  have  been  con- 
tained in  one  leaf  or  have  filled  two.     The  revision  of  scene  iv 
is  in  hand  B,  scene  v*  and  the  initial  stage  direction  to  scene  vi 
(all  on  fol.  7^)  are  written  by  C,  and  then  comes  the  astonishing 

xii 


addition  by  D.  Round  this  much  controversy  has  centred. 
The  writer  has  no  respect  for,  perhaps  no  knowledge  of,  the 
play  on  which  he  is  working.  His  characters  are  unrecognizable. 
He  is  indifferent  to  the  personae.  He  writes  '  other'  and  leaves 
it  to  C  to  assign  the  speech  to  whom  he  pleases.  In  H  233 
and  following  he  begins  by  writing  a  sentence  which  in  the 
absence  of  punctuation  it  is  almost  impossible  not  to  misread, 
then  alters  and  interlines  till  it  becomes  impossible  to  follow 
his  intention,  and  leaves  it  to  C  to  clear  up  the  confusion. 
This  C  does  by  boldly  excising  some  three  lines  and  inserting 
one  makeshift  half-line  of  his  own.  Yet  these  hasty  pages  of 
D's  have  individual  qualities  which  mark  them  off  sharply  from 
the  rest  of  the  play.  There  is  wit  in  the  humours  of  the  crowd, 
there  is  something  like  passion  in  More's  oratory.  So  striking 
indeed  are  these  qualities  that  more  than  one  critic  has  persuaded 
himself  that  the  lines  in  question  can  have  come  from  no  pen 
but  Shakespeare's.  The  possibility  acquires  additional  interest 
from  the  fact  that  the  passage  is  undoubtedly  autograph.  Here 
possibly  are  three  pages,  one  of  them  still  legible,  in  the  hand 
that  so  many  have  desired  to  see.  The  question  is  one  of 
stylistic  evidence,  and  each  reader  will  have  to  judge  for  himself. 
I  do  not  feel  called  upon  to  pronounce  :  but  I  will  say  this  much, 
that  it  seems  to  me  an  eminently  reasonable  view  that  would 
assign  this  passage  to  the  writer  who,  as  I  believe,  foisted  certain 
of  the  Jack  Cade  scenes  into  the  second  part  of  Henry  VI. 
In  spite  of  the  undoubted  literary  merit  of  D's  additions,  I  cannot 
myself  regard  them  with  the  admiration  they  have  aroused  in 
some  critics. 

It  seems  always  to  have  been  assumed  that  the  play  was 
submitted  to  Tilney  in  its  original  form  and  that  the  alterations 
and  substitutions  now  found  in  the  manuscript  are  the  result  of 
an  attempt  to  comply  with  the  censor's  demands.  This  appears 
to  me  an  error.  His  directions  are  specific  and  urgent.  *  Leave 
out  the  insurrection  wholly  and  the  cause  thereof,'  says  Tilney, 
'  and  begin  with  Sir  Thomas  More  at  the  Mayor's  sessions,  with 
a  report  afterwards  of  his  good  service  done,  being  Shrieve  of 


xni 


London,  upon  a  mutiny  against  the  Lombards,  only  by  a  short 
report  and  not  otherwise,  at  your  perils.'  And  we  are  to  suppose 
that  in  the  face  of  this  the  actors  allowed  the  first  scene,  con- 
taining the  cause  of  the  riots,  to  stand  unaltered,  went  to  the 
trouble  and  expense  of  making  an  elaborate  revision  of  the  in- 
surrection scenes,  which  whatever  its  literary  merit  can  hardly 
have  been  supposed  to  meet  the  political  objection,  and  then 
ventured  to  put  the  play  on  the  stage.  That  is  to  say  they 
behaved  as  though  there  were  no  Master  of  the  Revels,  no  Privy 
Council,  and  no  Star  Chamber.  Only  collective  insanity  could 
account  for  such  a  proceeding.  But  I  do  not  think  any  such 
supposition  necessary,  for  every  indication  in  the  manuscript 
points  to  its  having  been  submitted  for  licence  in  its  present 
form.  The  indications,  it  is  true,  are  not  many  but  they  are 
significant.  Besides  Tilney's  general  directions  as  to  the 
insurrection,  he  left  specific  notes  on  two  passages  that  incurred 
his  censure.  Against  a  speech  of  Shrewsbury's  at  the  top  of 
fol-  5*  (316-23)  he  has  written  'Mend  this',  and  has  apparently 
signified  his  disapproval  of  another  passage  on  the  same  page 
(372,  &c.).  The  ground  of  the  objection  is  obviously  certain 
injudicious  comments  on  the  dangerous  topic  of  popular  dis- 
content. So  again,  in  the  scene  at  the  Privy  Council  in 
which  More  refuses  to  sign  the  articles  sent  by  the  king,  the 
censor  has  struck  out  an  important  passage  (fol.  I7^  11247-75) 
and  written  in  the  margin  a  not  very  legible  note,  by  which 
however  he  clearly  meant  that  the  whole  of  this  portion  was  to 
be  altered.  Yet  in  neither  case  has  any  notice  whatever  been 
taken  of  the  censor's  orders.  I  cannot  quote  any  certain  instance 
of  an  alteration  made  by  Tilney  himself  in  the  portions  of  the 
play  that  have  undergone  revision,  but  I  would  call  attention  to 
the  heavy  scoring  by  which  the  first  two  speeches  on  fol.  7^ 
(II  68-75)  are  marked  for  omission.  It  is  not  impossible  that 
this  may  be  in  Tilney's  own  hand,  though  from  the  colour  of  the 
ink  it  may  perfectly  well  be  in  the  same  hand  as  the  text  (C). 
But  the  reason  for  the  omission  was  most  certainly  neither 
literary  nor  dramatic,  but  political.     The  lines  describe  how 

xiv 


Sir  John  Munday  was  wounded  in  the  riots,  and  if  not  actually 
struck  out  by  the  censor  were  certainly  condemned  in  deference 
to  his  views.  But  it  is  evident  throughout  that  the  manuscript 
has  not  been  finally  revised  for  presentation.  Everywhere 
passages  are  marked  for  omission,  but  whether  the  objection 
was  aesthetic  or  official,  the  marks  are  merely  vague  indications 
of  what  was  objectionable,  and  no  attempt  is  made  to  sew  the 
loose  ends  into  decent  contijiuity.  The  censor  or  a  scribe 
under  his  influence  strike  out  the  opening  speeches  of  two  scenes 
(iii  and  v*,  316  and  II  68),  and  they  are  left  truncated:  the 
censor  draws  his  pen  through  the  description  of  More's  contumacy 
(ti247,  &c.),  and  no  attempt  is  made  to  find  a  substitute  for 
it,  though  its  loss  would  make  the  catastrophe  unintelligible. 
The  bulk  of  the  additional  matter,  the  Erasmus-Faukner  scene 
with  its  adjuncts  (III,  IV,  V;  fols.  11*,  12,  13,  13*)  and  the 
last  player-scene  {VI ;  fol.  16),  as  also  the  '  More  in  melancholy ' 
passage  (I ;  fol.  6),  can  have  nothing  whatever  to  do  with  the 
censor,  being  obviously  due  solely  to  dramatic  considerations. 
Add  to  this  that  the  rest  of  the  alterations  (II;  fols.  7,  8,  9), 
which  do  affect  the  portions  condemned  by  the  censor,  are  as 
natural  from  the  point  of  view  of  literary  revision  as  they  are 
inexplicable  as  an  attempt  to  meet  the  official  objections,  and 
I  do  not  see  how  it  is  possible  to  avoid  the  conclusion  that  they 
were  already  in  the  manuscript  when  this  was  submitted  for 
licence.  When  it  returned  bearing  Tilney's  remarks,  it  became 
clear,  as  I  should  have  thought  it  would  have  been  clear  to 
critics  from  the  outset,  that  it  was  quite  impossible  to  comply 
with  the  demands  of  the  censor  without  eviscerating  the  play  in 
a  manner  fatal  to  its  success  on  the  stage.  The  manuscript  was 
consequently  laid  aside  and  the  play  never  came  on  the  boards. 
This,  I  think,  is  the  obvious  conclusion,  and  if  it  has  not  been 
drawn  before,  it  is  presumably  because  the  occurrence  in  the 
manuscript  of  the  name  of  an  actor  as  filling  one  of  the  minor 
parts  (V  2,  fol.  13*)  has  been  supposed  to  indicate  that  the  play 
was  actually  performed.  But  clearly  the  only  deduction  that 
the   evidence  warrants  is  that  the   play  was   cast,  which,   as 

XV 


many  managers  are  painfully  aware,  is  by  no  means  the  same 
thing. 

Another  common  assumption  has  been  that  the  diversity  of 
hands  represents  diversity  of  authorship,  and  in  this  case  the 
inference  is  on  the  face  of  it  not  unreasonable.  It  needs, 
however,  careful  testing.  Whether  the  original  draft  is  in  the 
autograph  of  the  original  author  is  uncertain.  It  is,  of  course, 
a  fair  copy,  but  there  is  no  reason  why  a  fair  copy  should  not 
be  made  by  the  author  himself.  Indeed  there  is  definite 
evidence  from  the  first  quarter  of  the  seventeenth  century  that 
this  was  at  least  not  unusual.  The  hand  (S)  is  by  no  means 
typical  of  the  professional  scribe  of  the  time.  The  duplicate 
endings  (11956-86)  show  that  the  draft  was  either  written  by 
the  author  himself  or  under  his  immediate  supervision,  but  the 
latter  is  perhaps  as  likely  as  the  former.  The  point  is  I  think 
settled  by  one  small  item  of  evidence.  This  is  the  queer  word 
'fashis'  in  11847.  ^^  should  be  'fashion',  and  there  seems  no 
reasonable  doubt  that  the  writer  has  misread  an  *6'  as  a  final 
'  s '.  This  is  quite  an  easy  mistake,  for  the  two  resemble  one 
another  closely  in  some  hands,  but  it  is  a  mistake  of  which  it  is 
almost  impossible  to  suppose  that  an  author  would  be  guilty  in 
copying  his  own  work.  I  shall  therefore  assume,  what  has 
indeed  I  think  been  the  general  view,  that  the  original  text  of 
the  play  is  not  autograph. 

But  if  this  is  so  there  is  nothing  to  prevent  one  of  the  additional 
hands  from  being  that  of  the  original  author.  Let  us  therefore 
examine  these  rather  more  carefully.  A  is  unquestionably  an 
independent  writer  and  not  a  copyist.  The  alterations  in  his 
draft  of  More's  speech  on  fol.  6  put  that  beyond  question.  But 
the  occasion  of  his  addition,  which  has  never  like  the  rest  been 
fitted  into  its  place,  and  even  the  exact  lines  which  it  is  intended 
to  replace,  are  uncertain.  He  seems  to  be  an  author  working 
independently  of  the  rest,  and  possibly  somewhat  later.  Although 
I  cannot  honestly  say  that  I  detect  any  marked  difference  of  style 
between  the  original  scene  and  the  addition,  it  seems  to  me 
unlikely  that  we  have  in  A  a  writer  who  was  concerned  in  more 

xvi 


than  the  single  passage  preserved  in  his  own  hand.  The  case 
is  still  clearer  with  D.  While  his  three  pages  are  unquestionably 
autograph,  the  individuality  of  his  style  makes  it  quite  evident 
that  it  was  for  these  alone  that  he  was  responsible.  E  is  more 
doubtful.  If  it  is  Dekker's  hand  the  passage  is  likely  to  be  a  bit 
of  original  composition.  The  alteration  in  IV  236  has  the 
appearance  of  an  author's  correction.  But  the  passage  is  rather 
roughly  though  legibly  written,  apparently  as  an  afterthought 
and  with  the  deliberate  intention  of  filling  up  the  odd  half-page. 
There  is  no  indication  that  the  writer  was  responsible  for  more 
than  these  few  lines. 

The  two  remaining  hands  clearly  belong  to  a  different  cate- 
gory', for  their  work  pervades  the  whole  manuscript  instead  of 
being  confined  to  a  particular  passage  as  is  the  case  with  A,  D,  E. 
B  is  undoubtedly  an  original  author,  for  he  writes  roughly  and 
often  barely  legibly.  He  scribbles  his  text  first  and  inserts  the 
names  of  the  speakers  afterwards  (see  fol.  16*,  VI  21-35)  or 
forgets  them  altogether  (fol.  11*,  *649-58).  When  revising 
a  scene  of  the  original  text  he  writes  a  string  of  names  so  badly 
that  either  he  or  some  one  else  has  to  put  a  reference  mark  to 
the  cancelled  passage  in  order  that  the  reader  may  be  able  to 
make  out  what  is  intended  (fol.  5^  418-21;  fol.  7*,  II  18-20). 
It  is  probable  that  he  is  the  author  of  a  good  deal  of  the  addi- 
tional matter  which  is  not  actually  in  his  hand.  For  on  fol.  16'' 
he  writes  in  a  blank  space  the  rough  and  altered  draft  of  some 
lines  (VI  68-73)  which  we  find  copied  by  C  into  their  proper 
context  on  fol.  13*  (V  2-7).  His  marginal  additions  to  the 
original  text  already  noticed  go  to  show  that  he  exercised 
a  general  supervision  and  was  probably  from  a  literary  point  of 
view  responsible  for  the  alteration  which  the  play  was  undergoing. 
It  would  be  interesting  if  it  could  be  shown  that  he  actually 
was,  as  I  have  surmised,  responsible  for  the  marginal  note  on 
fol.  11''  (*735-6)  ordering  the  revision  of  the  Erasmus-Faukner 
scene,  but  unfortunately  this  is  not  certain. 

C,  as  we  have  just  seen,  is  found  transcribing  B.  In  this  case 
at  least,  therefore,  he  is  not  an  original  author  but  a  copyist, 

xvii  c 


and  there  is  no  reason  to  suppose  that  he  is  anything  more 
elsewhere.  None  of  the  alterations  in  his  portion  of  the  text 
are  conclusive  for  authorship.  But  he  is  nevertheless  a  very 
important  person.  He  revises  the  stage  directions  throughout, 
both  in  the  original  text  and  in  the  additions,  and  seems  respon- 
sible (as  is  most  clearly  shown  in  the  case  of  VI)  for  fitting  the 
latter  into  their  places.  As  B  seems  to  have  had  the  literary,  so 
C  appears  to  have  had  the  dramatic,  side  of  the  revision  under 
his  charge.  He  can  patch  up  a  line  or  two  when  needed,  and 
edits  D,  a  careless  writer,  freely,  but  I  do  not  think  that  there 
is  anything  to  suggest  that  he  was  an  independent  author.  My 
own  impression  is  that  A,  D,  and  E  were  each  responsible  for 
the  portions  found  in  their  own  hands  and  no  more,  and  that  B 
wrote  those  passages  where  either  his  own  hand  or  that  of  C 
appears. 

The  question  whether  B  had  anything  to  do  with  the  original 
text  of  the  play  is  a  much  more  difficult  one.  It  is  conceivable 
that  he  may  have  been  the  original  author.  At  any  rate  I  can 
detect  no  difference  in  style  between  the  portions  written  by  S 
and  those  written  by  B  and  C.  B  is  the  only  one  of  the  addi- 
tional scribes  who  makes  marginal  additions  to  the  original  text, 
and  his  additions  show  him  to  have  entered  fully  into  the  spirit 
of  that  original.  They  are  less  like  grafts  than  natural 
offshoots  of  the  dialogue.  Moreover  we  may  well  question 
whether  any  one  but  the  author  himself  would  have  troubled  to 
make  the  revision  of  scene  iv  for  the  sake  of  the  trifling  altera- 
tions introduced  (fol.  5^  412-52;  fol.  7*,  II  1-64).  On  the 
other  hand,  I  am  unable  to  point  to  any  evidence  that  C  was 
liable  to  the  peculiar  graphic  ambiguity  which  seems  to  underly 
S's  misreading  *  fashis '  (see  above),  and  I  am  aware  that  I  have 
perhaps  carried  the  discussion  beyond  the  bounds  of  profitable 
conjecture.  All  I  will  add  is  this,  that  supposing  the  original 
text  to  be  the  work  of  a  single  author,  and  supposing  that 
author's  hand  to  occur  anywhere  in  the  extant  manuscript,  then 
the  evidence  points  to  that  hand  being  B.  There  is  this  to  be 
said  in  favour  of  his  claim,  that  he  is  the  only  one  of  the  writers 

xviii 


in  question  who  was  manifestly  incapable  of  making  his  own 
fair  copy. 

One  minor  point  of  considerable  interest  is  the  play  performed 
at  More's  banquet,  to  which  the  title  of  The  Marriage  of  Wit 
and  Wisdom  is  given.  This  fragment  has  nothing  to  do  with 
the  piece  now  known  by  that  name,  but  is  in  fact  a  somewhat 
altered  version  of  a  scene  from  Lusty  yuventus,  to  which  is 
prefixed  a  prologue  of  which  the  first  eight  lines  are  taken  from 
that  to  the  Disobedient  Child. 

The  date  of  the  play  has  been  a  good  deal  disputed.  Tilney's 
note  does  not  necessarily  imply  a  date  before  1607,  and  I  do 
not  myself  see  that  his  objection  to  the  insurrection  scene  need 
have  been  connected  with  any  particular  events.  The  mention 
of 'Mason  among  the  Kings  players'  (11151)  might  be  thought 
to  point  to  1603  or  later,  but  of  Mason  himself  nothing  is 
known,  and  anachronism,  though  always  possible,  is  not  de  rigeur 
in  our  early  drama.  Anachronistic  certainly  are  the  references 
(tioo6,  tii48)  to  Oagle  the  wigmaker,  for  a  John  Ogle  or 
Owgle  appears  in  this  capacity  in  the  Revels'  accounts  for 
1572-3  and  1584-5  (Cunningham,  21,  38,  193).  These  refer- 
ences would  seem  to  favour  a  somewhat  earlier  date,  and  such 
is  put  practically  beyond  question  by  the  palaeographical  evi- 
dence, which  Sir  George  Warner  is  confident  points  to  the 
sixteenth  century.  If  the  conjecture  that  would  connect  one  of 
the  additions  with  Henry  VI  be  correct,  it  would  throw  back 
the  date  of  the  former,  and  a  fortiori  of  the  original  text,  to 
quite  early  in  the  nineties.  Some  such  year  as  1592  or  1593 
would  also  be  supported  by  the  mention,  at  V  2,  of  T.  Goodal ; 
a  name  which  likewise  serves  to  connect  the  play  with 
Lord  Strange's  men,  Shakespeare's  company.  For  Goodal  or 
Goodale  took  the  role  of  a  Councillor  in  the  second  part  of  the 
Seven  Deadly  Sins,  a  piece  acted  by  Strange's  players,  of  which 
a  plot  and  cast  probably  belonging  to  1592  is  extant.  The  only 
other  mention  of  him  is  as  early  as  1581,  when  on  11  July  he 
is  named  in  a  document  of  the  City  of  London  as  one  of 
Lord  Berkeley's  players  who  were  engaged  in  an  affray  with 

xix 


certain  gentlemen  of  Gray's  Inn  (Harrison's  Description  of 
England,  New  Shakspere  Soc,  part  iv,  suppl.,  \  2,  p.  320,  where 
the  document  is  printed  without  reference).  A  Baptiste  Goodale 
is  included  in  a  forged  list  of  '  her  Majesty's  poore  Playeres  .  .  . 
sharers  in  the  blacke  Fryers  playehouse'  in  Nov.  1589  printed 
by  Collier  {Shakespeare,  i.  cviii),  but  it  is  not  known  whether 
this  rests  on  any  genuine  information.  Anyhow  Collier  proceeds 
to  identify  his  Baptiste  with  the  T.  Goodal  of  the  manuscript, 
which  is  manifestly  unreasonable.  He  further  states  (i.  cix) 
that  Laneham  also  acted  in  Sir  Thomas  More.  But  the  only 
possible  trace  of  Laneham  to  be  found  in  the  manuscript  is  the 
somewhat  illegible  scribble  in  the  margin  of  fol.  3^  (m)'  ^^^ 
since  this  is  very  probably  in  modern  ink  it  cannot  be  accepted 
as  altogether  satisfactory  evidence. 

Sir  Thomas  More  was  first  edited  by  Dyce,  his  edition  being 
issued  by  the  Shakespeare  Society  in  1844.  It  is  certainly  open 
to  the  criticism  which  has  been  passed  upon  it,  that  it  represents 
neither  the  original  nor  the  revised  text,  but  a  confused  com- 
promise between  the  two.  Other  faults  are  that  it  seldom  takes 
any  notice  of  marks  of  omission,  and  that  as  regards  minor 
deletions  it  generally  either  retains  or  omits  them  arbitrarily  and 
without  warning  (cf.  *509).  Contractions  are  expanded  ;  capitals, 
italics,  and  punctuation  are  the  editor's.  Since,  however,  the  text 
was  prepared  at  a  time  when  the  damage  to  the  manuscript 
appears  to  have  been  considerably  less  than  at  present,  and  in 
particular  before  the  rather  disastrous  attempts  at  reparation 
had  been  made,  it  is  in  many  cases  our  sole  authority  for  whole 
lines,  and  its  readings  everywhere  deserve  the  respectful  con- 
sideration of  the  modern  editor.  For,  of  whatever  errors  of 
judgement  Dyce  may  have  been  guilty  in  constructing  his  text, 
the  fundamental  work  of  transcription  was  for  the  most  part 
executed  with  exemplary  care,  in  spite  of  what,  even  in  a  less 
ruinous  state  of  the  original,  must  still  have  been  very  consider- 
able difficulties.  So  far  as  I  can  ascertain  the  number  of  verbal 
readings  in  which  the  present  text  differs  from  Dyce's  exceeds 
two  hundred  by  six.      It  is  conceivable  that  in  spite   of  my 

XX 


best  endeavour  I  may  in  some  of  these  instances  be  wrong ;  it  is 
certain  that  some  are  matter  of  opinion,  though  I  have  made 
it  a  rule  to  bow  to  Dyce's  authority  in  doubtful  cases  unless 
I  felt  pretty  certain  that  he  was  wrong.  But  these  cases  are 
not  many.  Of  the  remainder,  the  great  majority  are  minutiae 
of  a  trivial  kind.  The  number  of  substantial  misreadings  is  not 
much  more  than  a  dozen  all  told  ;  the  worst  being  '  wrought '  for 
*  prouokte '  (289), '  hayday '  for  '  hazard '  (1 1 1  2 1), '  leve  cavell '  for 
'  live  Civell '  (IV 188),  and  the  silent  omission  of  two  rather  obscure 
words  in  ti5o6.  This  is  I  think  a  remarkable  achievement  in 
a  manuscript  of  the  length  and  difficulty  of  More.  To  say  so 
may  seem  an  indirect  boast  on  my  part,  but  I  am  in  reality 
keenly  alive  to  the  fact  that  if,  as  I  hope  and  believe,  my  text  is 
not  only  formally  but  verbally  a  good  deal  more  faithful  than 
Dyce's,  this  is  in  great  measure  due  to  my  having  had  his  work 
at  hand  as  a  constant  check  upon  my  own. 

The  only  other  edition  that  requires  mention  is  that  in 
Mr.  Tucker  Brooke's  volume  entitled  The  Shakespearian  Apo- 
crypha, Oxford,  1908.  Although  the  editor  has  adopted  the 
revised  text  rather  more  frankly  than  his  predecessor,  his  edition 
yet  remains  open  to  the  same  rather  serious  objections  as 
Dyce's.  Verbally  his  text  can  claim  no  original  authority.  It 
is  an  almost  unaltered  reprint  of  Dyce's,  and  of  the  two 
hundred  and  six  errors  I  have  imputed  to  that  editor,  Mr.  Tucker 
Brooke  corrects  exactly  six  ^252  '(Aside.)',  435,  tii97,  ti847 
'sits',  II  III,  IV  218)  while  he  introduces  two  new  errors  of 
his  own  (261  '(Aside.)',  IV  173  'laudant').  Dyce,  apart  from 
an  occasional  slip  (which  I  have  recorded)  follows  the  manuscript 
exactly  in  his  use  of  '  u '  and  '  v '  :  he  is,  however,  not  to  be 
trusted  in  the  matter  of '  i '  and  '  j  ',  his  system  being  at  fault  (I 
have  neglected  his  variants  in  this  respect).  I  have  failed  to  find 
any  principle  underlying  Mr.  Tucker  Brooke's  procedure :  he  is  not 
consistent  in  following  the  manuscript,  neither  does  he  conform 
either  to  the  ancient  or  to  the  modem  convention :  similar  confusion 
reigns  as  regards  capitals  and  contractions.  His  perfunctory  and 
inaccurate  introduction  does  not  call  for  discussion  in  this  place. 

xxi 


Besides  the  two  editions  mentioned  there  exists  a  photographic 
facsimile  of  the  manuscript  prepared  by  Mr.  R.  B.  Fleming  and 
issued  in  a  series  of  Tudor  Facsimile  Texts.  It  is  the  full  size 
of  the  original  and  leaves  nothing  to  be  desired  in  the  way  of 
technical  execution,  but  of  course  the  covering  of  tracing  paper 
and  the  staining  of  the  margins  render  many  passages  hopeless 
for  the  photographer.  What  purpose  of  general  utility  it  was 
thought  that  a  facsimile  of  which  a  large  part  is  absolutely 
illegible  could  serve,  I  do  not  know,  but  to  me  it  has  proved 
invaluable,  indeed  without  its  help  I  should  have  hardly  found 
the  present  work  possible.  It  is  also  incidentally  of  value  in 
preserving  intact  one  or  two  passages  which  have  since  been 
damaged  in  the  manuscript. 

It  remains  to  say  something  as  to  the  present  edition.  The 
rules  which  govern  the  editing  of  the  Malone  Society's  texts 
of  course  forbade  any  attempt  to  patch  up  a  compromise 
between  the  original  and  revised  versions  of  the  play.  On  the 
other  hand  there  were  obvious  drawbacks  to  printing  the  manu- 
script exactly  as  it  stood.  After  some  hesitation  therefore 
I  determined  to  print  first  the  whole  of  the  original  text  so  far 
as  it  has  been  preserved,  and  then  to  gather  together  at  the 
end  all  the  various  attempts  at  revision  in  so  far  as  they  were 
made  on  separate  leaves  and  did  not  merely  consist  of  trifling 
additions  or  directions  written  in  the  margins  of  the  original 
sheets.  These  insertions  I  have  printed  in  the  order  in  which 
they  at  present  stand  in  the  manuscript,  and  have  numbered 
them  I-VI.  The  hand  in  which  any  particular  passage  is 
written  I  have  indicated  in  the  headline  and  more  minutely  in 
the  notes.  Any  addition  or  alteration  (of  a  whole  word  or  more) 
made  in  a  hand  different  from  that  of  the  text  of  that  passage, 
is  distinguished  by  the  substitution  of  small  capitals  for  lower- 
case type ;  specific  information  concerning  the  hand  being  added 
in  the  notes. 

As  usual  I  have  endeavoured  in  my  edition  to  follow  the 
arrangement  of  the  original  as  closely  as  possible.  All  deletions 
are  indicated  by  square  brackets,  except  in  certain  cases  where 

xxii 


the  ink  in  which  they  are  made  seems  certainly  to  be  modern. 
Of  such  no  notice  has  been  taken  in  the  text  itself.  Inter- 
lineations are  printed  in  the  text  at  the  point  at  which  they 
appear  to  belong,  without  other  distinction  than  an  explanatory 
note.  Where  an  interlineation  replaces  a  deleted  word  it  is 
printed  immediately  after  it,  and  the  deletion  and  interlineation 
may  be  taken  as  due  to  the  same  hand.  Mere  deletions  and 
similar  marks  it  is  usually  impossible  to  assign  to  any  particular 
hand :  where  they  are  not  stated  to  be  in  a  different  ink  from 
that  used  by  the  scribe  of  the  passage  in  which  they  occur,  they 
may  generally  be  taken  as  being  probably  by  him,  though  the 
inference  is  by  no  means  always  safe.  Passages  marked  for 
omission  or  cancelled  are  not  treated  as  deleted  but  are  dis- 
tinguished by  a  line  down  the  left  side,  the  habitual  mark  used 
in  the  original.  All  mutilations  of  the  manuscript,  and  all 
passages  which  are  for  whatever  reason  indecipherable,  are 
indicated  by  pointed  brackets.  Words  occurring  within  these 
brackets  are  those  which  Dyce  purported  to  have  read  there, 
but  which  are  no  longer  legible.  The  occurrence  of  pointed 
brackets  does  not  however  necessarily  mean  that  anything  is 
lost  from  the  text.  They  may  merely  indicate  that  the  leaf  is 
mutilated  or  obscured,  so  that  if  there  was  any  writing  at  that 
point  it  is  now  lost.  Where  a  mutilation  occurs  in  or  at  the  end 
of  a  line  and  extends  to  the  right  margin,  only  the  initial  bracket 
is  inserted,  the  end  of  the  line-space  being  taken  to  close  the 
bracket  Since,  however,  it  is  usual  to  read  from  left  to  right, 
this  rule  has  not  been  applied  to  the  beginnings  of  lines.  Where 
these  are  mutilated  the  initial  bracket  is  placed  in  the  margin 
(if  the  mutilation  extends  to  the  edge)  and  the  closing  bracket 
at  the  point  at  which  the  text  becomes  legible. 

For  the  convenience  of  analysis  and  reference  I  have  divided 
the  original  draft,  so  far  as  it  is  extant,  into  scenes,  which  I  have 
indicated  in  the  notes  and  headlines.  The  scenes  of  the  revision 
I  have  numbered  in  connexion  with  these.  The  lines  of  the 
original  text  I  have  also  numbered  consecutively,  including  those 
which  I  have  supposed  lost  at  the  top  and  bottom  margins. 

xxiii 


Since,  however,  the  text  is  not  really  continuous  throughout 
I  have  distinguished  the  lines  after  the  first  lacuna  by  an 
asterisk,  and  those  after  the  second  by  an  obelus.  The  lines  of 
each  of  the  six  additions  have  been  numbered  separately. 
In  three  instances  (I  65-71,  II  63-5,  V  1-8)  I  have  brought 
lines  actually  written  up  the  margin  into  their  regular  place  in 
the  text ;  twice  (1-19,  *502)  I  have  been  forced,  by  typographical 
considerations,  to  place  a  marginal  addition,  and  once  (11932) 
a  deleted  reading,  in  the  footnotes. 

I  ought  finally  to  explain  the  manner  in  which  my  text  has 
been  prepared,  for  I  am  afraid  that  it  cannot  claim  to  be  quite 
such  an  original  and  independent  work  as  those  published  by 
the  Malone  Society  aim  at  being.  This  was  inevitable,  for  the 
case  is  a  peculiar  one.  For  the  pages  of  the  original  which  are 
not  covered  with  tracing  paper  I  made  my  transcript  from  the 
photographic  facsimile  above  mentioned,  merely  referring  to 
Dyce's  edition  when  any  special  difficulty  arose,  and  for  the 
occasional  lines  which  have  become  illegible  since  his  time. 
For  the  covered  pages  I  based  my  transcript  primarily  on  Dyce, 
referring  constantly  to  the  facsimile  as  a  guide  to  the  general 
arrangement.  At  first  I  intended  to  put  forward  my  text,  so  far 
as  these  pages  were  concerned,  as  frankly  representing  that  of 
Dyce  checked  where  possible  by  reference  to  the  now  illegible 
original.  On  examining  this  more  minutely,  however,  it  seemed 
to  me  that  the  case  was  not  quite  as  desperate  as  I  had 
imagined.  When  the  obscured  leaves  are  held  up  to  a  sufficiently 
strong  transmitted  light  there  is  very  little  of  the  text  that 
cannot  be  made  out  if  sufficient  trouble  is  taken.  The  process 
is  not  an  easy  one,  for  when  so  examined  the  writing  on  either 
side  of  the  leaf  shows  about  equally  clearly,  but  it  is  at  least 
possible.  Favoured  therefore  by  the  exceptional  summer  of 
1 911,  I  resolved  to  adopt  it  and  to  make  the  manuscript 
in  all  cases  my  authority,  indicating  by  brackets  everything 
that  I  was  unable  myself  to  read.  Of  course  it  frequently 
happened  that  in  the  case  of  particular  words  and  letters  it  was 
difficult  to  say  honestly  whether  they  were  actually  legible  in 

xxiv 


the  manuscript  or  not,  and  I  am  not  prepared  to  assert  that 
I  could  always  have  deciphered  them  without  the  help  of  Dyce's 
text,  but  I  think  I  may  say  that  in  the  case  of  every  letter  not 
printed  within  pointed  brackets  I  have  been  able  to  distinguish 
it  sufficiently  clearly  to  act  as  an  effective  check  upon  Dyce's 
reading.  It  will  be  seen  that  I  have  occasionally  differed  from 
Dyce  even  in  comparatively  obscure  passages,  but  I  have  been 
alive  to  the  temerity  of  such  proceeding  and  have  not  ventured 
to  displace  any  reading  of  his  without  what  seemed  to  me  fairly 
conclusive  evidence. 

The  manuscript  appears  to  have  suffered  rather  seriously 
since  Dyce's  day.  In  the  original  portions  there  is  hardly 
a  page  on  which  his  text  does  not  supply  at  least  a  few  words 
now  irrecoverably  lost.  All  words  or  letters  which  he  purports 
to  have  read  but  which  have  now  vanished  I  have  printed  in 
my  text  within  pointed  brackets.  I  have  given  them  in  the 
form  in  which  he  gives  them,  without  contractions,  but  in  order 
to  avoid  anything  misleading  I  have  printed  them  without 
punctuation  and  with  only  such  capitals  and  italics  as  can  with 
reasonable  certainty  be  inferred  from  the  practice  of  the  scribe, 
Dyce  having  pleased  his  own  fancy  in  these  matters.  When 
quoting  Dyce's  readings  in  the  notes,  I  have  also  omitted 
punctuation  but  have  retained  his  capitals.  Words  which  Dyce 
supplied  in  his  text  within  square  brackets,  as  having  either 
disappeared  from  the  original  through  mutilation,  or  been 
omitted  by  the  scribe  through  accident — he  unfortunately  did 
not  distinguish  the  two  cases — I  have  rejected  from  the  text 
altogether,  but  have  recorded  them  (with  Dyce's  capitals  and 
punctuation)  in  the  notes.  Thus  the  student  will  be  at  once 
aware  when  anything  appears  in  the  text  which  I  do  not  pretend 
to  have  read  with  my  own  eyes,  while  by  consulting  the  notes 
he  will  be  able  to  supply  whatever  Dyce  thought  necessary  to 
the  comprehension  of  the  text.  The  authority  attaching  to  the 
readings  preserved  by  Dyce  but  no  longer  decipherable  depends 
upon  his  general  accuracy,  which  is  high.  They  may  as  a  rule 
I  think  be  accepted  as  tolerably  certain,  for  it  is  clear  that 

XXV  d 


his  edition  was  prepared  with  both  skill  and  caution.  Never- 
theless it  is  impossible  to  accord  them  implicit  confidence,  for 
at  least  one  passage  {II  218)  suggests  that  on  occasions  Dyce 
resorted  to  conjecture  in  a  manner  that  can  only  be  deplored. 

I  have  described  how  my  transcript  was  made.  When  it  was 
finished  I  first  read  with  the  original  manuscript  all  those 
passages  in  which  I  had  been  obliged  to  rely  upon  Dyce*s  text, 
and  then  sent  the  whole  to  press.  The  proofs  were  of  course 
read  throughout  with  the  original,  particularly  the  pages  covered 
with  tracing  paper  being  minutely  collated  with  all  the  care  of 
which  I  was  capable.  The  whole  proofs  were  also  read  pro- 
fessionally both  with  Dyce's  edition  and  Tucker  Brooke's,  and 
all  discrepancies  so  revealed  I  checked  by  reference  to  the  manu- 
script. That  absolute  accuracy  has  been  attained  I  do  not  for 
a  moment  suppose,  but  I  have  some  hope  that  if  in  the  future 
any  one  should  undertake  the  labour  of  a  fresh  collation  he  will 
be  able  to  report  that  I  have  done  my  task  in  a  conscientious  and 
fairly  competent  manner.  In  such  a  case  as  the  present  I  do 
not  think  that  any  editor  can  reasonably  expect  better  success 
than  that. 

The  following  is  an  analysis  of  the  text  as  it  stands  in  the 
present  edition.  When  a  scene  begins  elsewhere  than  at  the 
top  of  the  page  the  line  number  is  added. 

Fol.  3*.  Sc.  i.     Discontent  in  the  City. 

3^  Sc.  ii.     The  Mayors  Sessions.     Begins  at  104. 

5*.  Sc.  iii.     News  of  the  riots  reaches  the  Court. 
5\  Sc.  iv.     Riot  scene  (cancelled).     Begins  at  410. 

Sc.  V.     Prentice  scene  (imperfect  and  cancelled).    Begins 
at  453. 
First  lacuna. 
10*.  Sc.  vi.     Insurrection  scene   (beginning  wanting,   part 

cancelled), 
lo''.  Sc.  vii.     Reprieve  scene.     Begins  at  *566. 

xxvi 


II*. 

II ^  Sc.  viiids.     Erasmus  scene  (imperfect  and  cancelled). 

Begins  at  *735. 
Second  lacuna. 

1 4*.  Sc.  viii  b.  Faukner  scene  (beginning  wanting,  cancelled). 
14^  Sc.  ix.     Banquet  scene. 

15*.  15'. 

17*.  Sc.  X.     Privy  Council  scene.     Begins  at  11158. 

18*.  Sc.  xi.     Mores  retirement.     Begins  at  1 128 2. 

18*'.  Sc.  xii.     Rochester  in  the  Tower.     Begins  at  fisSo. 

Sc.  xiii.       More's   arrest   (part   cancelled  ?).       Begins 
at  tHii- 
19*,  19^ 

20*.  Sc  xiv.     More  arrives  at  the  Tower.    Begins  at  1 1603, 
i&.  Sc.  XV.     More's  servants. 

Sc.  xvi.     More  in  the  Tower.     Begins  at  ti728. 
21*. 
21^  Sc.  xvii.     Execution  scene.     Begins  at  ti86i. 

Addition  I. 

6*  (6**  blank).      Hand  A.     Revision   of  part   of  sc.   xiii. 
Lines  1-71. 
Addition  II. 

7*.     Hand  B.     Revision  of  sc.  iv.     Lines  1-65. 

7^     Hand  C.     Sc.   iv*.      Lines  66-120   (121-2  =  s.d.   to 

sc.  vi). 
8*.     Hand   D.     Revision  of  first  part  of  sc.   vi.     Lines 

123-68. 
8^     Lines  169-218.     9*.     Lines  219-70.     (9**  blank). 
Addition  III. 

n*b  (ii*»  blank).     Hand  C.     Insertion  at  beginning  of 
sc.  viii  as  revised.     Lines  1-22. 
Addition  IV. 

12*.     Hand  C.     Revision  of  sc.  viii.     Lines  1-60. 
12^     Lines  61-121.     13*.  Lines  122-81. 

x.xvii 


I3^     Lines  182-2 ii. 

Hand  E.     Revision  continued.     Lines  212-42. 
Addition  V. 

13**  (13*''  blank).     Hand  C.     Sc.  viii*.     Lines  1-26. 
Addition  VI. 

I6^     Hand  B.     Sc.  ix*.     Lines  1-62. 

I6^     Lines  63-7.     (Lines  68-73  =  rough  draft  of  V  1-7.) 

The  above  analysis  takes  no  account  of  the  small  additions 
on  fols.  10*  (*502),  10^  {*6io),  and  11*  (*638,  *6^y),  and  notices 
only  those  cancels  in  the  original  text  which  affect  the  additions. 
With  the  same  limitations  the  following  references  give  a  con- 
tinuous revised  text,  so  far  as  such  can  be  constructed,  the 
additional  passages  being  enclosed  in  parentheses  : 

Fols.  3%  3^  4*,  4^  5»,  5^  to  409,  (7%  7^  8^  8^  9»,)  10*^  from 

♦476,  Io^  11%  11^  to  *734,  (II*^  12%  I2^  13*,  13%  13**,)  i4\ 

I5^  I5^  17*  to  tii57,  (i6%  16'' to  VI  67,)  17*  from  fiiS^,  I7^ 

i8%  I8^  19*  to  ti47o,  (6%)  I9^  20*,  2o^  21%  2I^  22*. 

Facsimiles  illustrating  the  seven  different  hands  appearing 
in  the  manuscript  accompany  the  present  edition.  They  are 
slightly  reduced. 

In  closing  this  lengthy  preface,  gratitude  no  less  than  candour 
suggests  that  I  should  acknowledge  the  obligation  I  am  under  to 
the  unvarying  kindness  of  Sir  George  Warner,  late  Keeper  of 
Manuscripts  at  the  British  Museum.  He  most  obligingly 
acceded  to  my  suggestion  that  the  additional  slips  now  forming 
fols.  II*  and  13*  should  be  detached  from  the  leaves  upon 
which  they  were  pasted,  or,  I  believe,  glued.  He  allowed  me 
to  consult  him  upon  the  date  of  the  manuscript,  and  upon  the 
identity  of  hand  E,  and  helped  me  in  various  small  difficulties 
of  reading.  He  caused  Tilney's  note  on  fol,  3*  to  be  relieved  of 
its  covering  of  tracing  paper  in  order  that  a  photograph  might 
be  obtained.  Finally  when  a  dispute  arose  as  to  the  reading  at 
the  end  of  line  56,  he  had  another  small  piece  of  the  covering 
removed.      Unfortunately  this  failed  to  settle   the  point:   for 

xxviii 


whereas  Dyce  printed  '  homes ',  Sir  George  maintains  that  the 
word  should  be  *  house  ',  while  I  feel  confident  that  it  is  *  bounds '. 
I  regret  this  small  difference  of  opinion,  but  with  all  deference 
to  authority  I  feel  bound  to  back  my  own  conviction.  My 
personal  debt  it  is  a  pleasure  to  recall  and  to  record,  and  I  have 
no  doubt  but  that  all  members  of  the  Malone  Society  will 
appreciate  the  obligation  under  which  they  too  indirectly  lie  to 
the  late  Keeper's  courtesy  and  learning. 


XXIX 


List  of  Characters 
in  order  of  appearance. 


John  Lincoln,  a  broker. 

George  Betts. 

a  Clown,  his  brother. 

Francis  de  Bard,  a  Lombard. 

Doll,  wife  to  Williamson. 

Caveler,  a  Lombard. 

Williamson,  a  carpenter. 

Sherwin,  a  goldsmith. 

The  Lord  Mayor. 

Justice  Suresby. 

Sir  Thomas  More. 

Smart,  a  plaintiff. 

Lifter,  a  cut-purse. 

The  Recorder  of  London. 

The  Earl  of  Shrewsbury. 

The  Earl  of  Surrey. 

Sir  Thomas  Palmer. 

Sir  Roger  Cholmley. 

a  Messenger. 

Harry ] 

Robin  i- prentices. 

Kit      J 

Croftes. 

a  Sheriff. 

a  Messenger. 

two  Sheriffs'  Officers. 

Randall,  servant  to  More. 

Erasmus. 

Jack  Faukner,  servant  to  Morris. 

Morris,  secretary  to  the  Bishop  of 

Winchester. 
Roper,  son-in-law  to  More. 
Lady  More. 
The  Lady  Mayoress. 


)  The  Lord  Cardinal's 
I  Players,  in  the 


Inclination 
Prologue 

Tody  Vanity  \^TuW/  ^'^ 
Luggins      -"  ]  ^^d  Wtsdom. 

The  Bishop  of  ROCHESTER. 

The  Clerk  of  the  Privy  Council. 

Mistress  Roper,  daughter  to 
More. 

her  Sister. 

Catesby,  steward  of  More's  house- 
hold. 

a  Servant  of  More's  at  Chelsea. 

DOWNES,  an  Officer  of  Justice. 

three  Warders  of  the  Tower. 

a  poor  Woman,  suitor  to  More. 

Gentleman  Porter  of  the  Tower. 

The  Lieutenant  of  the  Tower. 

Ned,  Butler 

Robin,  Brewer  of  More's 

Giles,  Porter  household. 

Ralph,  Horsekeeper, 

Gough,  secretary  to  More. 

a  Servant  of  More's  in  the  Tower. 

two  Sherififs. 

a  Sheriffs  Officer. 

a  Hangman. 


Sir  John  Munday.  v 

a  Messenger. 

a  Sergeant  at  Arms. 

a  Sheriff. 

a  Messenger. 

a  Servant  of  More's. 


In  the 
Additions. 


XXX 


Justices,  Sheriff,  rioters,  citizens,  City  Guard,  attendants,  serving-men, 
waites,  aldermen,  ladies,  Lords  of  the  Council,  Guard  of  the  Tower. 

The  name  of  the  Clown  seems  to  be  Ralph  Betts  (see  *6S^).  More's 
daughters  appear  in  sc  ix  (t956),  the  Lieutenant  of  the  Tower  in  sc.  xii 
(11380),  and  Gough  in  sc.  xiii  (ti4ii,  cf.  1507),  but  have  no  parts  till  later. 
In  the  additions  one  of  the  Cardinal's  players,  either  the  Prologue  or  the 
boy,  is  called  Clown  (VI  61). 


XXXI 


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Upper  Portion  of  Fol.  3' 


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Lower  Portion  of  Fol.  6» 


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Lower  Portion  of  Fou  7* 


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Upper  Portion  of  Fol.  9* 


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Lower  Portion  of  Fol.  i^'^ 


Lower  Portiok  op  Fol.  ai* 


The  Booke  of  Sir 


Thomas  Moore 


FOL.  2'* 


Enter  at  (one  end  lohn  Lincolne  with  FOL.  3* 

together,  at  the  other  end  enters  ffraunces  (de 
a  lustie  woman,  he  haling  her  by  the  (arme 
[Doli.]  whether  wilt  thou  hale  me  ? 

[Bard.]  whether  I  please,  thou  art  my  prize  and  I  ple(ade  purchase)  of  thee 

[Do//.]  Purchase    of    me?    away   ye   Rascall,    I    am    an    honest    plaine   Carpenters   (wife 

and  thoughe  I  haue  no  beautie  to  like  a  husband  yet  what  soeuer  is  (mine  scor 

nes  to  stoupe  to  a  straunger :  hand  off  then  when  I  bid  thee. 

[Bard.]  Goe  with  me  quietly,  or  He  compell  thee.  9 

[Do//.]  Compell   me  ye   dogges   face  ?    thou   thinkst   thou  hast   the   Goldsmithes  (wife  in 

hand,   whom    thou    enticedst    from    her    husband   with    all   his   plate,    and   (when 

N.B. — In  these  notes  S  indicates  the  hand  of  the  original  Scribe,  and  T  that  of  Edmund  Tilney.  A,  B,  C,  D,  E 
lenote  the  five  hands  responsible  for  the  additions.  Alterations  not  noted  as  being  in  a  different  hand  or  ink 
ire  to  be  taken  as  by  the  scribe  of  that  portion  of  the  text  in  which  they  occur.  In  cases  where  an  interlineation  follows 
I  deletion,  the  same  hand  is  to  be  supposed  responsible  for  both  unless  the  contrary  is  stated, 
i  The  lines  of  writing  have  been  numbered  consecutively  throughout  the  original  draft,  but  as  they  are  not  really 
bontinuous,  those  after  the  first  lacuna  are  distinguished  by  an  asterisk,  and  those  after  the  second  by  an  obelus. 
The  additions  made  on  inserted  leaves  are  collected  at  the  end  of  the  text  and  numbered  I  to  VI.  The  lines  in 
tach  are  numbered  separately  :  thus  IV  212  means  line  212  of  addition  IV. 

The  title  is  written  on  the  vellum  wrapper,  now  fols.  i  and  2,  consisting  of  two  leaves  of  an  old  Latin  MS. 

I  Scene  i. 

I  &c.  This  page  has  been  covered  with  tracing  paper,  which  has  now  been  removed  in  two  places. 

1-19  In  the  left-hand  margin  opposite  these  lines  is  a  note  by  the  Master  of  the  Revels,  to  whom  the  play  was 
•rubmitted  for  licence.  He  has  crossed  out  most  of  the  speakers'  names  in  these  lines  and  has  written  over  the  top 
)f  one.     His  note  rims : 

(Leaue  out  )  [  y*  insur(rection)  ^  |  '  wholy  &  |  y*  Cause  ther  off'  &  |  (b)egin  w'  S'  Tho:  |  Moore 

.tt  *  y*  mayors  sessions  |  w*  a  reportt  afterward  j  |  off  his  good  servic'  '  j  don  being'*  Shriue  off  Londo  j  vppo^  a  mutiny 
Vgaynst  y*  |  Lubardy  only  by  A  shortt  ]  reportt  &  nott  othervvise  |  att  your  own  perrilles  |  E  Tyllney 

(*  blot.  *  blot.  '  /A^r  oj"]  Dyce  thereoff  *  att\  Dyce  at  *  servid\  Dyce  service 

bdng''\  Dyce  being  ''  vppd]  d  altered.) 

I  Dyce  supplies  the  two  Bettses  to  fill  the  lacuna.  2  Dyce  supplies  Barde,  and  Do/i  to  fill  the  lacuiUL 

10  Goldstnithes\  "Dyce  goidstniiks 


Sir  Thomas  More 


[FoL.  3» 


thou  turndst 
wifes  boorde. 


her  home  to   him   againe,   madste  him   (like   an  Asse)   pay  for  (his 


Bard.  So  will  I  make  thy  husband  too,  if  please  me 

Enter  Caueler  with  a  paire  of  dooues,  Williamson  the  Carpenter  and 
Sherwin  following  him. 
[Doll.]  Heere  he  comes  him  selfe,  tell  him  so  if  thou  darste. 
Catie.  ffoUowe  me  no  further,  I  say  thou  shalt  not  haue  them. 
Wil.  I  bought  them  in  Cheapeside,  and  paide  my  monie  for  them. 
S/ter.  He  did  Sir  indeed,  and   you  offer  him  wrong,  bothe  to  take  them  from  him,  and 
not  restore  him  his  monie  neither. 

for   them,    let    it    suffise    that    I   possesse   them,    Beefe    and 
hindes,    are    Piggions    meate   for    a    coorse    Carpenter? 


Caue. 


If    he    paid 
may   serue    such 


21 

brewes 


Lin 


[It   is   hard   when   Englishmens  pacience   must  be   thus  ietted   on   by  straungers] 

[and    they   not   dare    to    reuendge   their   owne   wrongs.] 
Geo.  Lincolne,   lets   beate  them   downe,   and   beare   no   more   of  these  abuses. 
Lin.  we    may    not    Betts,    be    pacient    and    heare   more. 
Doll  [How  now  husband  ?    what,  one  straunger  take  thy  food  from  thee,  and  another] 

[thy  wife  ?  bir  Lady  flesh  and  blood  I  thinke  can  hardly  brooke  that.] 
Lin. 
Geo. 
Bard. 

Wil. 


Geo. 
Bard. 


30 


[will  this  geere  neuer  be  otherwise  ?  must  these  wrongs  be  thus  endured  ?] 

[let  vs  step  in,  and  help  to  reuendge  their  iniurie.] 

what  art  thou  that  talkest  of  reuendge  ?    my  Lord  Ambassadour  shall  once  more 

make  your  Maior  haue  a  check,  if  he  punishe  thee  not  for  this  saucie  presumption( 


Indeed  my  Lord  Maior,  on  the  Ambassadours  complainte,  sent  me  to  Newgate  (one 
day,  because  (against  my  will)  I  tooke  the  wall  of  a  straunger.  you  may  doo  a(ny 
thing,  the  GoIdsmi(th's  wife),  and  mine  now  must  (b)e  at  your  comaundment. 


The  more  pacient  fooles  are  ye  bothe  to  suffer  it. 

Suffer  it  ?  mend  it  thou  or  he  if  ye  can  or  dare,  I  tell  thee  fellowe,  and  she  were( 
the  Maior  of  Londons  wife,  had  I  her  once  in  my  possession,  I  would  keep  her  in  sp(ite 
of  him  that  durst  say  nay.  40 


Geo.  I  tell  thee  Lombard,  these  wordes  should  cost  thy  best  cappe,  were  I  not  cur(bd 
by  dutie  and  obedience.     The  Maior  of  Londons  wife  ?    Oh  God,  shall  it  be  thus  ? 

14  the  speaker's  name  is  covered  by  Tilney's  writing. 

24-5  marked  for  omission  and  crossed  out;  there  is  also  a  cross  between  the  speaker's  name  and  the  text: 
similar  crosses  appear  opposite  11.  28-9  and  30-1  :  in  all  cases  both  they  and  the  accompanying  marks  of  omission 
and  deletion  appear  to  be  in  the  ink  used  by  T.  28-40  marked  for  omission.  28-9,  30-1  cf.  24-5. 

34  Wil.]  Dyce  Will  36  cdmaundmeni.]    Dyce  comaundment  41  ihee\  Dyce  the 


/ 


Sc.  i] 


Original  Text  (S) 


Doll,  why  Beites,  am  not  I  as  deare  to  my  husband,  as  my  Lord  Maiors  wife  to  him,  a(nd 
wilt  [he]  thou  so neglectly  suffer  [his]  thineowne  shame?  Hands  offproude  stranger(or 
him  that  bought  me,  if  mens  milkie  harts  (d)are  not  strike  a  straunger,  yet  (wo 
men  will  beate  them  downe,  ere  they  beare  these  abuses. 


Bard. 

Doll. 

to  Caueler. 


Caue 
DoU. 


Sher. 


Lin. 


Geo. 
Doll. 
Lin. 

Geo. 

Wil. 

Doll. 


Mistresse,  I  say  you  shall  along  with  me. 


Touche  not  Doll  Williamson,  least  she  lay  thee  al(ong)  on  Gods  deare  earthe.  An(d 
you  Sir,  that  allow  such  coorse  cates  to  Carpenters,  whilste  Pidgions  which  th(ey 
pay  for,  must  serue  your  daintie  appetite :  deliuer  them  back  to  my  husband  aga(in 
or  He  call  so  many  women  to  myne  assistance,  as  weele  not  leaue  one  inche  vn- 
tome  of  thee.  If  our  husbands  must  be  brideled  by  lawe,  and  forced  to  beare  your 
wrongs,  their  wiues  will  be  a  little  lawelesse,  and  soundly  beate  ye.  53 

Come  away  de  Bard,  and  let  vs  goe  complaine  to  my  Lord  Ambassadour    — ex.  Ainbo 
I,  goe,  and  send  him  among  vs,  and  weele  giue  him  his  welcome  too.     I  am  as(hamed 
that  free  borne  Englishmen,  hauing  beatten  straungers  within  their  owne  boun( 
should  thus  be  brau'de  and  abusde  by  them  at  home. 


It  is  not  our  lack  of  courage  in  the  cause,  but  the  strict  obedience  that  we  a(re 
bound  too :  I  am  the  Goldsmith  whose  wrongs  you  talkte  of,  but  how  to  redr(esse 
yours  or  mine  owne,  is  a  matter  beyond  all  our  abilities.  60 


Not  so,  not  so  my  good  freends,  I,  though  a  meane  man,  a  Broaker  by  pr(ofe)ssion  (and 
namd  lohn  Lincolne,  haue  long  time  winckt  at  these  vilde  ennormitees  (with  mighty 
impacience,  and,  as  these  two  bretheren  heere  {Betses  by  name)  can  witnesse  (with 
losse  of  mine  owne  liffe  would  gladly  remedie  them 


And  he  is  in  a  good  forwardnesse  I  tell  ye,  if  all  hit  right. 


As  how,  I  pre  thee  ?  tell  it  to  Doll  Willia{ni)son. 

you   knowe  the   Spittle   Sermons  begin  the  next  weeke,  I  haue  drawne  (a 

of  our  wrongs,  and  the  stra(un)gers  insolencies. 


which  he  meanes  the  (pre)achers  shall  there  openly  p(u)blishe  in  the  Pulpit( 


Oh  but  that  they  would,  (y)faith  it  would  tickle  (our  straun)gers  (thorowly 


I,  and  if  you  men  durst  (not  vndertake  it  before  God  we  women 


Dyce 


44  wilt]  t  altered  from  /  thou\  interlined.  thine\  interlined.  stranger]  much  damaged, 

supplies  by  after  or,  whether  as  needed  by  the  sense  or  to  supply  a  lacuna  does  not  appear,  probably  the  latter. 

45~(')75  marked  for  omission,  probably  by  T.  46  these  abuses.]  damaged. 

51  assistance,]  Dyce  assistaunce 

56  boun]  n  doubtful,  the  word  was  presumably  bounds :  Dyce  homes  (Warner  reads  house) 

62  namd]  </ touched  up  in  darker  (?  modem)  ink.  winckt]  t  apparently  added  in  darker  (possibly  modem) 

ink.        ennormitees]  second  e  doubtful,  possibly  /,  but  Dyce  prints  e. 

67  Dyce  supplies  bill  after  a  71  Dyce  supplies  would.  Take  after  women 

A  2 


Sir  Thomas  More 


[FoLS.  3' 


Sher. 
Lin, 


an  honest  woman  fro(m  her  husband  why  it  is  intollerable 


But  how  finde  (ye  the  preachers  affected  to 
M'  (doctor  stand  ish 


I  FOL.  3" ) 
forme  it  and  doubts  not  but  happie  successe  will  ensu  our  wrongs  > 

you  shall)  perceiue  ther's  no  hurt  in  the  Bill,  heer's  a  copie  of  it,  I  pray  ye,  heare  it. 
All  with  all)  our  harts,  for  Gods  sake  read  it  78 

Z,7«)  reads 


Doll. 

Sher. 

Geo. 


Doll. 


(to  you)  all  the  worshipfull  Lords  and  maisters  of  this  Cittie,  that  will  tak(e  com 
passion  ouer  the  poore  people  your  neighbours,  and  also  of  the  greate  importa(bl)e 
h(ur)ts,  losses  and  hinderaunces,  wherof  proceedeth  extreame  pouertie  to  all  the 
K(in)gs  subiects,  that  inhabite  within  this  Cittie  and  subburbs  of  the  same,  ffor 
so  (it)  is  that  Aliens  and  straungers  eate  the  bread  from  the  fatherlesse  children, 
and  take  the  lining  from  all  the  Artificers,  and  the  entercourse  from  all  Merchan(ts 
wherby  pouertie  is  so  much  encreased,  that  euery  man  bewayleth  the  miserie( 
of  other,  for  crafts  men  be  brought  to  beggerie,  and  Merchants  to  needines. 
wherfore,  the  premisses  considered,  the  redresse  must  be  of  the  comons,  knit  and 
vnited  to  one  parte.  And  as  the  hurt  and  damage  greeueth  all  men,  so  must 
all  men  see  to  their  willing  power  for  remedie,  and  not  suffer  the  sayde 
Aliens  in  their  wealth,  and  the  naturall  borne  men  of  this  region  to  come  -^ 
to  confusion.  91 


Before   God,   tis   excellent,  and   He   maintaine   the   suite  to   be   honest. 


well,  say  tis  read,  what  is  your  further  meaning  in  the  matter? 
what?    marie  list  to   me.     No  doubt   but  this  will   store  vs  with   freends  enow, 
whose   names   we   will  (clos)ely  keepe  in   writing,   and   on    May  day  next   in  the 
morning    weele    goe    foorth    a    Maying,    but    make    it    the    wurst    May   day   for 
the  straungers  that  euer  they  sawe:  how  say  ye?  doo  ye  subscribe,  or  are  ye 
faintharted  reuolters 


Holde   thee  George  Bettes,  ther's  my  hand  and  my  hart,  by  the  Lord  He  make 
a   Captaine  among  ye,  and   doo  somewhat  to  be  talke  of  for  euer  after.        100 


73  Dyce  supplies  our  proceeding  dSicr  to 

75  there  is  a  slight  trace  of  letters  at  the  beginning  of  this  line :   Dyce  marks  one  line  lost  at  the  turn  of 
the  page. 

76  &c.  page  covered  with  tracing  paper.  76  (?)-io6  marked  for  omission  ;  104-6  perhaps  in  error. 
76  Dyce  supplies  re  htiore.  forme            79  reads]  Dyce  as  if  supplied. 

79-80  the  ends  of  these  lines  are  obscured  by  blot  in  T's  note  which  shows  through  from  recto. 
80  passion]  damaged.  ^7  of]o  altered  ?  96  foorth]  Dycj&foorthe 


Scs.  i,  ii]  Original  Text  (S) 


Wil.    My   maisters,  ere  we   parte,    lets  freendly   goe   and   drinke   together,    and   sweare 
true  secrecie  vppon  our  Hues. 

Geo.   There  spake  an  Angell,  come,  let[s]  vs  along  then.  exeunt. 

An  Arras    is    drawne,    and   behinde    it   (as   in    Sessions)   sit   the  L.   Maior, 
Justice  Suresbie,  and  other  Justices,    Sheriffe   Moore   and   the   other   Sherife 
sitting   by,    Smart  is    the   Plaintife,   Lifter  the   prisoner  at   the   barre. 
L.  Mai.   Hauing  dispachte  our  weightier  businesses, 
we  may  giue  eare  to  pettie  fellonies, 
M"^.  Sheriffe  Moore,  what  is  this  fellowe? 
Moore.  My  Lord,  he  stands  indyted  for  a  pursse,  no 

he  hath  bin  tryed,  the  lurie  is  together. 
L.  Mai.  who  sent  him  in? 
Sure.  That  did  I  my  Lord, 

Had  he  had  right,  he  had  bin  hangd  ere  this, 
the  only  captayne  of  the  cutpursse  crewe. 
L.  Mai.  what  is  his  name? 

Sure.  As  his  profession  is,  Lifter  my  Lord, 

one  th(at)  c(an)  lift  a  pursse  right  c(unn)ingly. 
L.  Mai.  An(d  is  that)  he  accuses  him  ? 

Sure  Th(e  s)ame  my  Lord,  whom,  by  your  honors  leaue,  lao 

I  (mu)st  say  somewhat  too,  because  I  finde, 
in  some  respectes  he  is  well  woorthie  blame. 
L.  Mai.   Good  M'.  Justice  Suresbie  speake  your  minde, 
we  are  well  pleasde  to  giue  you  audience. 
Sure.   Heare  me  Smart,  thou  art  a  foolish  fellowe,  < 

\{  Lifter  be  conuicted  by  the  la  we, 
As,  I  see  not  how  the  lurie  can  acquit  him  : 
He  stand  too't,  thou  art  guiltie  of  his  death. 
Moore.  My  Lord,  thats  woorthe  the  hearing. 
L.  Mai.  Listen  then  good  Maister  Moore.  130 

103  /(?/]  a  final  s  has  been  crossed  out  in  different  (possibly  modem)  ink,  of.  II  264. 

104, Scene  ii. 

106  Dyce  supplies  Recorder^  Officers,  after  barre.  no  indyted^  Dyce  indited 

11 1  in  the  left  margin  is  a  word  in  what  seems  to  be  modem  ink  ;  apparently  LatuhS.  bat  the  atu  is  doubtful  (cf. 
p.  xx). 

112  L.  Afai.]  Dyce  Mai  118  pursse]  Dyce  purse 


6  Sir  Thomas  Move  [Fols.  3^  4* 

Sure.  I  tell  thee  plaine,  it  is  a  shame  for  thee, 

with  such  a  sum  to  tempte  necessitie. 

No  lesse  then  ten  poundes  Sir,  will  seme  your  turne, 

to  (c)arie  in  your  pursse  about  with  ye, 

to  crake  and  brag  in  Tauernes  of  your  monie. 

I  promise  ye,  a  man  that  goes  a  broade, 

with  an  intent  of  trueth,  meeting  such  a  bootie 

may  be  prouokte  to  that  he  neuer  meante. 

what  makes  so  many  pilferers  and  fellons, 

but  such  fond  baites  that  foolish  people  lay:  140 

to  tempt  the  needie  miserable  wretche. 

(ten)  poundes,  odd  monie,  this  is  a  prettie  sum, 

to  (bea)re  about,  whic(h  were)  more  safe  at  home, 

(fore  God  twere  well  to  fine  y)e  as  much  more  /  Lord  Maior  and  Moo(re 

(  to  the  releefe  of  the  po  )soners,  whisper. 

(  to  teache  ye  be  your  ow)ne. 

(  rightlie)  seru'de 

( 

Moore.  Good  my  Lord,  soothe  a  (  for  once  FOL.  4' 

only  to  trye  conclusions  in  this  case 
L.  Maior  Content  good  M'.  Moore,    /weele  rise  awhile,  151 

And  till  the  lurie  can  returne  their  verdict 
walke  in  the  garden  :  how  saye  ye  Justices  ? 
All.  we  like  it  well  my  Lord,  weele  followe  ye.  /ex.  L.  Maior  and  Iust(ices 

Moore.  Nay  Plaintife,  goe  you  too,  And  Officers,  /  ex.  Smart, 

stand  you  aside,  and  leaue  the  prisoner 
to  me  awhile :  Lifter,  come  hether. 
Lift,  what  is  your  woorships  pleasure? 
Moore.  Sirra,  ycm  knowe  that  you  are  knowne  to  me 

And  I  haue  often  sau'de  ye  from  this  place  160 

140  that^  damaged.  141  miserable]  middle  letters  damaged.  142  this]  damaged. 

145  Dyce  supplies  ore  pri  between /<?  and  soners, 

148  no  traces  of  this  line  remain ;  what  look  like  such  probably  show  through  from  recto :  but  the 
space  would  suggest  that  there  was  another  line  on  the  page,  and  Dyce  shows  the  loss  of  one  at  the  turn 
of  the  leaf. 

149  &c.  page  covered  with  tracing  paper.        154  followe]  Hyct  follow 


Sc.  ii] 


Original  Text  (S) 


7 


since  first  I  came  in  Office :  Thou  seest  beside, 
that  lustice  Suresbie  is  thy  heauie  freend, 


for  all  the  blame  that  he  pretends  to  Smarte : 
for  tempting  thee  with  such  a  summe  of  monie. 


Lift. 


I  tell  thee  what,  deuise  me  but  a  meanes, 
to  pick  or  cutt  his  pursse,  and  on  my  credit 
and  as  I  am  a  christian  and  a  man 
I  will  procure  thy  pardon  for  that  least. 
Good  M^  Shreeue,  seeke  not  my  ouerthrowe, 
you  knowe  Sir,  I  haue  manie  heauie  freends 
and  more  endictments  like  to  come  vppon  me. 
you  are  too  deepe  for  me  to  deale  withall, 

you  are  knowne  to  be  one  of  the  wisest  men  that  is  in  England. 
I  pray  ye  M^  Sheriffe,  goe  not  aboute 
to  vndermine  my  (life) 
Moore.  Lifter ^  I  am  tru(e  subiect  to)  my  King, 

thou  much  mist(akste)  me  and  for  thou  shalt  not  thinke, 

I  meane  by  this  to  hurt  thy  life  at  all  : 

I  will  maintaine  the  act  when  thou  hast  doone  it. 

Thou  knowest  there  are  such  matters  in  my  hands, 

as  if  I  pleasde  to  giue  them  to  the  lurie : 

I  should  not  need  this  way  to  circumuent  thee. 

All  that  I  aime  at,  is  a  merrie  iest : 

performe  it  Lifter,  and  expect  my  best. 

I  thanke  your  woorship,  God  preserue  your  life. 

But  M^  lustice  Suresbie  is  gon  in, 

I  knowe  not  how  to  c(om)e  neere  where  he  is. 

Let  me  alone  for  that,  He  be  thy  setter, 

He  send  him  hether  to  thee  presently,  ^ 

vnder  the  couller  of  thine  owne  request, 

of  priuate  matters  to  acquainte  him  with. 

If  ye  doo  so  Sir,  then  let  me  alone 

ffortie  to  one  but  then  his  pursse  is  gon. 

well  said,  but  see  that  thou  diminish  not 

163-4  marked  for  omission.  163  for\  Dyce  By 


170 


iSo 


Lift. 
Moore. 

Lift. 
Moore. 


190 


8  Sir  Thomas  More  [Fols.4' 


one  penie  of  the  monie,  but  giue  it  me, 

It  is  the  cunning  act,  that  credits  thee. 
Lift.  I  will,  good  M^  Sheriffe,  I  assure  ye.  ex,  Moore, 

I  see  the  purpose  of  this  Gentleman 

is  but  to  check  the  fol(lie)  of  the  Justice, 

for  blaming  oth(er)s  in  a  desperate  case,  2o< 

wherin  hims(elfe)  may  fall  as  soone  as  any 

To  saue  my  life  it  is  a  (goo)d  aduenter  : 

Silence  there  hoe  :  now  (d)ooth  the  Justice  enter.  /    Ent.  lust.  Suresbie. 

Sure.  Now  Sirra,  now  what  is  your  will  with  me? 

wilt  thou  discha(rge  thy  co)nscience  like  an  honest  man  ? 

what  sayst  to  (me  sirr)a  be  breefe  be  breef. 
Lift,  As  breefe  Sir  as  (I  can) 

If  ye  stand  f(ay)re,  I  will  be  bre(ef)e  annon.     aside. 

Sure.  Speake  out  and  mumbl(e  n)ot,  wh(a)t  saist  thou  Sirra? 

Lift,  Sir,  I  am  chargde  as  God  shall  be  my  comforte  aic 

with  more  then's  true 
Sure.  Sir  Sir,  ye  are  indeed,  with  more  then's  true, 

for  you  are  flatly  chargde  with  fellonie. 

you'r  chargde  with  more  then  trueth  and  that  is  theft, 

more  then  a  true  man  should  be  chargde  withall 

Thou  art  a  varlet,  that's  no  more  then  true, 

Trifle  not  with  me,  doo  not,  doo  not  Sirra, 

confesse  but  what  thou  knowest,  I  aske  no  more. 
Lift.  There  be  Sir,  there  be,  ift  shall  please  your  woorship. 
Sure.  There  be  varlet  what  be  there,  tell  me  what  there  be  ?  32c 

Come  off  or  on,  there  be,  what  be  there,  knaue  ? 
Lift.  There  be  Sir  diuers  very  cunning  fellowes, 

that  while  you  stand  and  looke  them  in  the  face : 

will  haue  your  pursse. 
Sure,  Th'art  an  honest  knaue. 

tell  me  what  are  they  ?  where  they  may  be  ca(ug)ht 

I,  those  are  they  I  looke  for. 

198-201  marked  for  omission.         203  a  cross  before  the  S.D.  apparently  in  modem  ink  or  pencil. 


Sc.  ii]  Original  Text  (S) 


Lift  you  talke  of  me  Sir 

Alas  I  am  (a)  punie :  t(her)'s  one  indeed, 

goes  by  (my  name  he  puts  downe  all  for  pursses  230 


as  familiare  as  thou  wilt  my  knaue  FOL.  4*" 

tis)  this  I  long  to  (k)novve. 


Lift  And)  you  shall  haue  your  longing  ere  ye  goe.         aside 

This  fellowe  Sir,  perhaps  will  meete  ye  thus, 

Or  thus,  or  thus,  and  in  kinde  complement,  /  action 

pretend  acquaintaunce,  somewhat  doubtfully, 

And  these  embraces  serue. 
Sure.  I  marie  Lifter,  wherfore  serue  they?  /  shrugging  gladly. 

Lift  Only  to  feele 

whether  you  goe  full  vnder  saile  or  no,  243 

Or  that  your  lading  be  aboord  your  Barke. 
Sure.  In  playner  English  Lifter,  if  my  pursse  be  storde  or  no  ? 
Lift,  ye  haue  it  Sir. 
Sure.  Excellent,  excellent. 
Lift.  Then  Sir,  you  cannot  but  for  manners  ScJce, 

walke  on  with  him,  for  he  will  walke  your  way : 

Alleadging  either  you  haue  much  forgot  him, 

or  he  mistakes  you.  aS© 

Sure.  But  in  this  time  has  he  my  pursse  or  no  ? 
Lift.  Not  yet  Sir,  fye :  /  No  nor  I  haue  not  yours.  /  Ent  Lord  Maior  &c. 

But  now  we  must  forbeare,  my  Lords  retume. 
Sure.  A  murren  on't :  Lifter,  weele  more  annon. 

I,  thou  sayst  true,  there  are  shrewde  knaues  indeed        /    he  sits  downe. 

230  Dyce  shows  two  whole  lines  missing  between  this  and  233  ;  since  233  corresponds  on  the  verso 
with  149  on  the  recto,  and  the  latter  is  almost  certainly  the  first  line  on  the  page,  the  hiatus  may  be  taken 
as  occurring  at  the  lower  edge,  though  a  trace  of  231  only  is  visible.  Dyce  supplies  the  speaker's  name. 
Sure,  to  1.  232,  but  this  is  evidently  a  mere  guess :  it  seems  more  probable  that  the  new  speech  began  on 
the  verso  wifii  233. 

233  &c.  page  covered  with  tracing  paper. 

252  nor]  interlined.  «  Dyce  adds  Aside,  (referring  to  the  second  half  of  the  line),but  itis  not  in  theMS. 
He  also  places  S.D.  after  253. 

B 


36o 
aside. 


lo  Sir  Thomas  More  [Fols.4^.  5' 

But  let  them  gull  me,  widgen  me,  rooke  me,  foppe  me, 

y faith  y faith,  they  are  too  sh(ort  for)  me. 

knaues  and  fooles  meete  w(hen  pursse)s  goe, 

wise  men  looke  to  their  pursses  w(ell)  enough. 
Moore.  Lifter,  is  it  doone  ? 

Lift,  doone  M^  Shreeue,  and  there  it  is. 
Moore.  Then  builde  vppon  my  woord.  He  saue  thy  life. 
Recor.  Lifter^  stand  to  the  barre, 

the  lurie  haue  returnd  thee  guiltie,  thou  must  dye, 

according  to  the  custome,  looke  to  it  M"^  Shreeue. 
L.  Maior.  Then  Gentlemen,  as  you  are  wunt  to  doo, 

because  as  yet  we  haue  no  (buri)all  place, 

what  charitie  your  meaning('s)  to  bestowe, 

toward  buriall  of  the  prisoners  now  condemnde 

let  it  be  giuen,  there  is  first  for  me.  270 

Recor.  And  thers  for  me. 
Another.  And  me. 


Sure.  Bodie  of  me  my  pursse  is  gon. 
Moore.  Gon  Sir  ?  what  heere  ?  how  can  that  be  ? 
L.  Maior.  Against  all  reason,  sitting  on  the  benche  ? 

Sure.  Lifter^  I  talkte  with  you,  you  haue  not  lifted  me  ?  ha  ? 
Lift.  Suspect  ye  me  Sir  ?    Oh  what  a  world  is  this  ? 
Moore.  But  heare  ye  M^  Suresbie,  are  ye  sure 
ye  had  a  pursse  about  ye  ? 
Sure.  Sure  M^  Shreeue,  as  sure  as  you  a(r)e  there,  aSo 

and  in  it  seauen  poundes  odd  mo(nie)  on  my  faith. 
Moore.  Seauen  poundes  odd  monie  ?  (w)hat  were  you  so  madd, 
beeing  a  wiseman,  and  a  Ma(gis)trate 
to  trust  your  pursse  with  suc(h  a)  liberall  sum. 
Seauen  poundes,  odd  monie  (f)ore  G(od  it)  is  a  shame : 
with  such  a  summe  to  tempt  (necessi)tie, 
I  promise  ye,  a  man  that  go(es  abroade) 
with  an  intent  of  tr(u)eth,  meeting  (suc)h  a  bootie, 

277  world^  r  interlined. 


Scs.ii,  iii]  Original  Text  (S)  ii 

may  be  prouokte  to  t(h>at  he  neuer  tho(u)ght. 

what  makes  so  man(y)  pilferers  and  fellons,  39° 

but  these  fond  baite(s)  that  foolish  people  lay : 

to  tempte  the  needie  misera(ble)  wretche 

Should  he  be  taken  now  that  has  your  pursse, 

Ide  stand  too't,  you  are  guiltie  of  his  death, 

for  questionlesse,  he  would  be  cast  by  lawe. 

Twere  a  good  deed  to  fine  ye  as  much  more 

to  the  releefe  of  the  poore  prisoners, 

to  teache  ye  lock  your  monie  (vp)  at  home. 
Sure,  well  M^  Moore  y(ou  a)re  a  merie  man, 

I  finde  ye  Sir,  I  finde  ye  well  enough.  300 

Moore.  Nay,  ye  shall  see  Sir,  trusting  thus  your  monie, 

and  Lifter  here  in  triall  for  like  case, 

But  that  the  poore  man  is  a  prisoner, 

it  would  be  now  suspected  that  he  had  it. 

Thus  may  ye  see  what  mischeefe  often  comes : 

by  the  fond  cariage  of  such  needlesse  summes. 
L.  Maior.  Bele(e)ue  me  M^  Suresbie,  this  is  straunge, 

you  beeing  a  man  so  setled  in  assuraunce, 

will  fall  in  that  which  you  condemnd  in  other. 
Moore.  w(el)l  M^  S(uresbie)  the(re)s  (your)  pursse  aga(y)ne,  310 

(and  all  your  monie  feare  nothing  of)  M(oor)e 
(  wisedome  still  the  doore). 

< 

Enter  the  Earles  of  Shrewesipurie  and  Surrie  Sir  Thomas  Palmer   FOL.  5^ 
and  Sir  Roger  Ckolmeley. 
Shrew.  My  Lord  of  Surrey,  and  Sir  Thomas  Palmer, 

might  I  with  pacience  tempte  your  graue  aduise. 
I  tell  ye  true,  that  in  these  daungerous  times, 
I  doo  not  like  this  frowning  vulgare  brow. 

289  prouokte]  Dyce  wrought 

313  Dyce  indicates  the  loss  of  one  line :  there  is  room  enough,  though  no  trace  remains. 

314  Scene  iii. 

314  &c.  page  covered  with  tracing  paper.  316-23  marked  with  a  line  and  also  a  large  cross  by  T. 

317  aduise.]  period  doubtful,  perhaps  query-mark. 

B  a 


12  Sir  Thomas  More  [Fol-s"" 


Mend  y" 


My  searching  eye  did  neuer  entertaine,  320 

a  more  distracted  countenaunce  of  greefe 

then  I  haue  late  obseru'de 

in  the  displeased  comons  of  the  Cittie. 


Siir.  Tis  straunge,  that  from  his  princely  clemencie, 

So  well  a  tempred  mercie  and  a  grace, 

to  all  the  Aliens  in  this  fruitefuU  land, 

that  this  highe-creasted  insolence  should  spring, 

from  them  that  breathe  from  his  maiestick  bountie, 

that  fatned  with  the  trafficque  of  our  countrey : 

alreadie  leape  into  his  subiects  face.  330 

Pal.  yet  Sherwin  hindred  to  commence  his  suite 

against  de  Bard^  by  the  Ambassadour 

by  supplication  made  vnto  the  King. 

who  hauing  first  entic'de  away  his  wife, 

and  gott  his  plate,  neere  woorth  foure  hundred  pound, 

to  greeue  some  wronged  Cittizens,  that  found, 

this  vile  disgrace  oft  cast  into  their  teeth : 

of  late  sues  Sherwin,  and  arrested  him 

for  monie  for  the  boording  of  his  wife. 
Sur.  The  more  Knaue  Bard,  that  vsing  Sherwins  goods,  340 

dooth  aske  him  interest  for  the  occupation  : 

I  like  not  that  my  Lord  of  Shrewesburie. 

Hees  ill  bested,  that  lends  a  well  pac'de  horsse, 

vnto  a  man  that  will  not  finde  him  meate. 
Cholme.  My  Lord  of  Surrey  will  be  pleasant  still. 
Pal.  I  beeing  then  imployed  by  your  honors 

to  stay  the  broyle  that  fell  about  the  same, 

wher  by  perswasion  I  enforc'de  the  wrongs, 

and  vrgde  the  greefe  of  the  displeased  cittie ; 

He  answerd  me  and  with  a  sollemne  oathe  350 

that  if  he  had  the  Maior  of  Londons  wife, 

he  would  keepe  her  in  despight  of  any  [Englishe]  mX 

320  marginal  note  by  T.  y^]  Dycey  352  wS]  added  by  T. 


Sc.  iii] 


Original  Text  (S) 


13 


360 


Sur.  Tis  good  Sir  Thomas  then  for  you  and  me, 

your  wife  is  dead,  and  I  a  Batcheler 

If  no  man  can  possesse  his  wife  alone, 

I  am  glad  Sir  Thomas  Palmer  I  haue  none. 
Choline.  If  a  take  my  wife,  a  shall  finde  her  meate. 
Sur.  And  reason  good  (Sir  Roger  Cholmeley)  too. 

If  these  hott  ffrenchemen  needsly  will  haue  sporte, 

they  should  in  kindnesse  yet  deffraye  the  charge. 

Tis  hard  when  men  possesse  our  wiues  in  quiet : 

and  yet  leaue  vs  in  to  discharge  their  diett. 
Shrew.  My  Lord,  our  Catours  shall  not  vse  the  markett, 

for  our  prouision,  but  some  [straunger]  LOMBARD  now : 

will  take  the  vittailes  from  him  he  hath  bought. 

A  Carpenter,  as  I  was  late  enformde, 

who  hauing  bought  a  paire  of  dooues  in  Cheape, 

immediatly  a  [ffrencheman]  LOMBARD  tooke  them  from  him, 

and  beat  the  poore  man  for  resisting  him. 

And  when  t(h)e  fellowe  did  complaine  his  wrongs : 

he  was  seuerely  punis(h'd)e  for  his  labour. 


370 


Sur. 


Choline. 


But  if  the  Englishe  blood  be  once  but  vp, 

as  I  perceiue  theire  harts  alreadie  fu(l]) 

I  feare  me  much,  before  their  spleenes  (be)  coolde, 

some  of  these  saucie  Aliens  for  their  pride, 

will  pay  for't  soundly,  wheresoere  it  lights. 

this  tyde  of  rage,  that  with  the  Eddie  striues : 

I  feare  me  much  will  drowne  too  manie  liues. 


Now  afore  God,  your  honors,  pardon  me, 

men  of  your  place  and  greatnesse,  are  to  blame, 

I  tell  ye  true  my  Lords,  in  that  his  Maiestie 

is  not  informed  of  this  base  abuse, 

and  dayly  wrongs  are  offered  to  his  subiects 

ffor  if  he  were,  I  knowe  his  gracious  wisedome, 

would  soone  redresse  it. 


380 


/  Enter  a  Messenger 


364  lombard]  interlined  by  T.  368  Lombard^  interlined  by  T. 

372-85  marked  with  a  line,  and  372-8  with  a  cross  as  well ;  both  apparently  by  T. 


14  Sir  Thomas  More  [Fols-s^ 

Shrew.  Sirra,  what  newes  ? 

Cholme.  None  good  I  feare 

Mess 


My  Lord,  ill  newes,  and  wursse  I  feare  will  foUowe 
if  speedily  it  be  not  lookte  vnto. 

The  Cittie  (i)s  in  an  vproare  and  the  Maior,  390 

is  threatned  if  he  (come  ou)t  of  his  (house 
(  a)  number  poo(re  artifi 

fearde  what  this)  would  come  vnto.  FOL.  5* 

this)  followes  on  the  doctours  publishing 
)  the  bill  of  wrongs  in  publique  at  the  Spittle. 
Shrew),  that  doctor  Beale  may  chaunce  beshrewQ  himselfe 
for  reading  of  the  bill 
Pal.  Let  vs  goe  gather  forces  to  the  Maior, 

for  quick  suppressing  this  rebellious  route.  400 

Sur.  Now  I  bethinke  my  selfe  of  Maister  Moore, 

one  of  the  Sheriffes,  a  wise  and  learned  Gentleman, 
and  in  especiall  fauour  with  the  people. 
He  backt  with  other  graue  and  sober  men, 
may  by  his  gentle  and  perswasiue  speeche 
perhaps  preuaile  more  then  we  can  with  power. 
Shrew.  Beleeue  me,  but  your  honor  well  aduises. 
Let  vs  make  haste,  or  I  doo  greatly  feare : 
some  to  their  graues  this  mornings  woorke  will  beare.  exeunt. 


Enter  Lincolne 
betts  williamson 


Doll.  \Doll. 


^nttr  Lincolne,  Be tses,  Williamson,  Sherwin  and  other  armed,  doll  in  ashirt( 
of  Maile,  a  head  piece,  sword  and  Buckler,  a  crewe  attending. 
Peace  there  I  say,  heare  Captaine  Lincolne  speake,  41a 

Keepe  silence,  till  we  knowe  his  minde  at  large. 


388-(?)393  marked  for  omission.  388  wursse]  Dyce  wurse  392  Dyce  supplies  cers  after  artifi 

393  Dyce  indicates  the  loss  of  one  line :  no  trace  remains,  but  even  more  may  have  disappeared. 

394  &c.  page  covered  with  tracing  paper.  395  doctours]  Dyce  doctors 
408  haste]  interlined.            or]  DycQ for 

410  Scene  iv. 

410-12  marginal  direction  by  C.  410  Dyce  supplies  two  before  Betses 

412-52  marked  for  omission.    Dyce  does  not  print  this  scene,  but  gives  variants  from  it  in  the  revised  version, 
II  1-64  (fol.  r)' 


Scs.  iii,  iv] 


Original  Text  (S) 


15 


All. 
Lin. 


All. 
Doll. 

Sker. 

Doll. 


Geo. 

Doll. 
Will 


Doll. 


Geo. 


Agreed,  agreed,  speake  then  braue  Captaine  Lincolne. 


Come  gallant  bloods,  you,  whose  free  soules  doo  scorne 

to  beare  th'enforced  wrongs  of  Aliens. 

Add  rage  to  resolution,  fire  the  houses 

of  these  audacious  straungers.     This  is  S'.  Martins 

and  yonder  dwelles  Mewtas  a  wealthie  Piccarde,  at  the  greene  gate, 

De  Barde,  Peter  van  Hollock^  Adrian  Marline^ 

with  many  more  outlandish  fugitiues. 

Shall  these  enioy  more  priueledge  then  we 

in  our  owne  countrie  ?  lets  then  become  their  slaues. 

Since  iustice  keeps  not  them  in  greater  awe 

weele  be  our  selues  rough  ministers  at  lawe. 


420 


ffire  the  houses,  fire  the  houses. 


I,  for  we  may  as  well  make  bonfires  on  May  day,  as  at  Midsommer,  weele 
alter  the  day  in  the  Calender,  and  set  it  downe  in  flaming  letters. 


Stay,  that  would  much  endaunger  the  whole  Cittie 
wherto  I  would  not  the  least  preiudice 


430 


No  nor  I  neither,  so  may  mine  owne  house  be  burnd  for  companie,  He  tell 
ye  what,  weele  drag  the  straungers  out  in  to  Moore  feildes,  and  there  bumbast( 
them  till  they  stinck  againe. 


Let  some  of  vs  enter  the  straungers  houses, 

and  if  we  finde  them  there,  then  bringe  them  foorth. 


/    ex.  some  and  Sher. 


If  ye  bringe  them  foorth  before  ye  finde  them,  lie  neuer  allowe  of  that 


Now  Lads,  how  shall  we  labour  in  our  safetie  ? 
I  heare  the  Maior  hath  gathered  men  in  Armes 
and  that  Sheriffe  Moore  an  houre  agoe  receiu'de 
some  of  the  priuie  Councell  in  at  Ludgate, 
fforce  now  must  make  our  peace  or  else  we  fall 
twill  soone  be  knowne  we  are  the  principall 


440 


And  what  of  that  ?  if  thou  bee'st  afrayd  husband,  goe  home  againe  and  hide 
thy  head,  for  by  the  Lord  He  haue  a  little  sporte  now  I  am  at  it. 


Lets  stand  vppon  our  Guarde,  and  if  they  come 
receiue  them  as  they  were  our  enemies. 


418-21  a  large  cross  in  left  margin,  possibly  by  B  (cf.  II  18-20). 
435  S}ier^  Dyce  Sherwin  441  musi\  interlined. 


/    En:  Sher.  &  the  rest. 
432  bumbast\  st  damaged. 


i6 


Sir  Thomas  More 


[FoLS.  5^  lo* 


Lin. 

Sher. 

Lin. 


Harry. 


Robin. 


Har. 


Kit. 
Har. 

Kit. 
Har. 

Kit. 
Har. 

Kit. 


How  now  ?  haue  ye  found  anie  ? 


Not  one,  th'are  fled. 


Then  fire  the  houses,  that  the  Maior  beeing  busie, 
about  the  quenching  of  them,  we  may  scape. 
Burne  downe  their  kennelles  let  vs  s(  )  away, 

least  that  this  prooue  to  vs  an  ill  May  daye.  

Enter  (t)hree  or  foure   Prentises  of  trades,  with 
Come,  lay  downe  the  Cudgelles.    /  Hoh  Robin,  you  met  vs  well  at  Bunhill,  to 
haue  you  with  vs  a  Mayng  this  morning  ? 


450 

—  exeunt. 

a  paire  of  Cudgelles. 


ffaith  Harrie,  the  head  drawer  at  the  Miter  by  the  great  Conduite,  calld  me  vp, 
and  we  went  to  breakefast  into  S^  Annes  lane.  But  come,  who  beginnes? 
In  good  faith  I  am  cleane  out  of  practise :  when  wast  at  Garrets  schoole  Harrie  ? 


Not  this  great  while,  neuer  since  I  brake  his  vshers  head,  when  he  plaid  his  s(cho)l- 
lers  prize  at  the  Starre  in  Bread  streete,  I  vse  all  to  George  Philpots  at  D(ow 
gate,  hees  the  best  back  sworde  man  in  England. 
Bate  me  an  Ace  of  that,  quoth  Bolton.  46a 


He  not  bate  ye  a  pinne  on't  Sir,  for,  by  this  cudgell  tis  true. 

I  will  cudgell  that  oppinion  out  of  ye :  did  you  breake  an  vshers  head  Sir  ? 


I  marie  did  I  Sir. 


I  am  very  glad  on't,  you  shall  breake  mine  too  and  ye  can. 


Sirra,  I  pre  thee  what  art  thou  ? 

am  a  Prentise  as  thou  art,  seest  thou  now :  He  play  with  thee  at  blunt( 


w(hy),  I 
)  (heere)  in  Che(ape)side,  and  wh(en)  t(ho)u  hast  doone,  if  thou  beest  angrie.  He  fight( 
)  I  (with  thee  at         in  Moore  feildes)  I  ha(ue>  a  swoord  to  serue  my  turne  in  a  fa(uor 

)  com(e)  lulie,  (to)  seru(e 
473 


\Here  one  or  more  original  leaves  are  lost^ 


450  of'\  doubtful,  possibly  at 

45 1  kennelles]  s  doubtful.        s ]  badly  damaged,  apparently  straighte  or  straite 

453  Scene  v. 

454-(?)472  marked  for  omission.  468  at]  interlined.  470  Dyce  supplies  sharpe  after  at 

472  Dyce  indicates  the  loss  of  one  line :  no  trace  remains,  but  even  more  may  have  disappeared. 


Scs.  iv-vi]  Original  Text  (S)  17 

FoL.  10^ 

To  persist  in  it,  is  present  (deat)h.  bu(t  if)  you  yee(ld  yourselues),  no  doubt,  what  (punish 

ment  you  (in  simplicitie  haue  incurred,  his  highnesse  in  mercie  will  moste  (graciously 

pardon. 

All.  we  yeeld,  and  desire  his  highnesse  mercie.  /they  lay  by  their  weapo(ns 

Moore,  No  doubt  his  maiestie  will  graunt  it  you 

But  you  must  yeeld  to  goe  to  seuerall  prisons, 

till  that  his  highnesse  will  be  further  knowne. 
All.  Moste  willingly,  whether  you  will  haue  vs.  •480 

Shrew.  Lord  Maior,  let  them  be  sent  to  seuerall  prisons, 

and  there  in  any  case,  be  well  intreated. 

My  Lord  of  Surrie,  please  you  to  take  horsse, 

and  ride  to  Cheape  side,  where  the  Aldermen, 

are  with  their  seuerall  companies  in  Armes. 

will  them  to  goe  vnto  their  seuerall  wardes, 

bothe  for  the  stay  of  further  mutinie, 

and  for  the  apprehending  of  such  persons  : 

as  shall  contend. 
Sur.  I  goe  my  noble  Lord.  ex.  Stir.  •490 

Shrew,  weele  straite  goe  tell  his  highnesse  these  good  newes. 

withall  (Shreeue  Moore)  He  tell  him,  how  your  breath : 

hath  ransomde  many  a  subiect  from  sad  death.  ex.  Shrew.  &  Cholin{ 

L.  Maior.  Lincolne  and  Sherwine,  you  shall  bothe  to  Newgate, 

the  rest  vnto  the  Counters. 
Pal.  Goe,  guarde  them  hence,  a  little  breath  well  spent, 

cheates  expectation  in  his  fairst  euent. 
Doll,  well  Sheriffe  Moore,  thou  hast  doone  more  with  thy  good  woordes,  then  all  they 

could  with  their  weapons  :  giue  me  thy  hand,  keepe  thy  promise  now  for  the  Kings  par( 

don,  or  by  the  Lord  He  call  thee  a  plaine  Conie  catcher.  'Boo 

Lin.  ffarewell  Shreeue  Moore,  and  as  we  yeeld  by  thee 

473  For  fols.  6-9  see  later  among  Additions. 

473  Scene  vi. 

473-5  marked  for  omission. 

474  (/«]  sic,  parenthesis  not  dosed.       highnesse]  the  letters  russ,  still  legible  in  the  facsimile,  are  now  broken 
away  in  the  MS.        will}  II  altered  from  se 

483  take\  k  altered  ?  499  me\  interlined. 


i8 


Sir  Thomas  More 


[FOLS.  10'' ' 


so  make  our  peace,  then  thou  dealst  honestly.  

L.  Maior.  Maister  Shreeue  Moore,  you  haue  preseru'de  the  Cittie, 
from  a  moste  daungerous  fierce  comotion. 
fifor  if  this  limbe  of  riot  heere  in  S*  Martins, 
had  ioynd  with  other  braunches  of  the  cittie, 
that  did  begin  to  kindle,  twould  haue  bred, 
great  rage,  that  rage,  much  murder  would  haue  fed. 
not  Steele  but  eloquence  hath  wrought  this  good, 
you  haue  redeemde  vs  from  much  threatned  blood. 


they  are  led  away. 


\_Pai:\ 
[Sh  .] 
Moore. 


•510 


L.  Maior. 
Shrew. 


My  Lord,  and  bretheren,  what  I  heere  haue  spoke, 

my  countries  looue,  and  next,  the  Citties  care : 

enioynde  me  to,  which  since  it  thus  preuailes, 

thinke,  God  hath  made  weake  Moore  his  instrument, 

to  thwart  seditions  violent  intent. 

I  thinke  twere  best  my  Lord,  some  two  houres  hence, 

we  meete  at  the  Guilde  hall,  and  there  determine, 

that  thorow  euery  warde,  the  watche  be  clad 

in  Armour,  but  especially  prouide 

that  at  the  Cittie  gates,  selected  men, 

substantiall  Cittizens  doo  warde  to  night, 

for  feare  of  further  mischeife. 

It  shall  be  so. 

but  yond  me  thinks  my  Lord  of  Shrewesburie. 

My  Lord,  his  maiestie  sends  loouing  thankes, 

to  you,  your  bretheren,  and  his  faithfull  subiects 

your  carefull  Cittizens.    But  M^  Moore,  to  you, 


•5ao 


Ent.  Shrew. 


502  there  is  a  marginal  addition  by  B  referred  to  this  place  by  a  guiding  line  : 

do       I  and  saue  vs  from  the  gallowes  eles  a  deales  debble  |  honnestlye 
(a  deales  debble\  Dyce  a  denies  debble  which  he  interprets  as  '  a  devil's  dibble '  though  the  sense  of  this  is  not 
apparent,     deales  is  very  probably  on  graphic  grounds  and  is  supported  by  *502.    debble  or  dobble  seems  most 
likely  a  corruption  of  </i?z/// used  adverbially.) 

The  addition  is  now  written  down  the  right  margin :  a  first  attempt  to  write  it  across  the  margin  above  the  S.D. 
in  *502  failed  and  was  smudged  out. 

506  ioynd'\  Dyce  ioind 

509-10  marked  for  omission.    Dyce  prints  these  lines  without  comment  as  part  of  the  Lord  Mayor's  speech. 

510  the  speaker's  name  was  presumably  Shrew,  who  is  not  on  the  stage;    hence  perhaps  the  omission. 
threalned]  second  /  altered  ?  515  seditions']  might  be  seditious  522  mischeife]  «  altered? 

523  the  rules  round  the  S.D.  may  have  been  added  by  C. 


Sc.  vi]  Original  Text  (S)  19 


a  rougher,  yet  as  kinde  a  salutation, 

your  name  is  yet  too  short,  nay,  you  must  kneele, 

a  Knights  creation  is  thys  Knightly  Steele.  •530 

Rise  vp  S^  Thomas  Moore. 
Moore.  I  thanke  his  highnesse  for  thus  honoring  me. 
Shrew.  This  is  but  first  taste  of  his  princely  fauour, 

for  it  hath  pleased  his  high  maiestie, 

(noating  your  wisedome  and  deseruing  meritt,) 

to  put  this  staffe  of  honor  in  your  hand, 

for  he  hath  chose  you  of  his  priuie  Councell. 
Moore.  My  Lord,  for  to  denye  my  Soueraignes  bountie, 

were  to  drop  precious  stones  into  the  heapes 

whence  first  they  came,  [from  whence  they'd  nere  retume,]  '540 

to  vrdge  my  imperfections  in  excuse, 

were  all  as  stale  as  custome.    No  my  Lord, 

my  seruice  is  my  Kings,  good  reason  why  : 

since  life  or  death  hangs  on  our  Soueraignes  eye. 
L.  Maior.  His  maiestie  hath  honord  much  the  cittie 

in  this  his  princely  choise. 
Moore.  My  Lord  and  bretheren, 

though  I  (departe  for  m)y  looue  (sha)ll  rest 

< 

(I  now  must)  sleepe  (in  courte),  sounde  sleepes  forbeare,  FOL,  lO** 

the  Chamberlain  to  state  is  publique  care. 

yet  in  this  rising  of  my  priuate  blood  :  -SS^ 

Enter  Crofts  my  studious  thoughts  shall  tend  the  citties  good.  /  Ent.  Croftes 

Shrew.  How  now  Croftes  ?  what  newes  ? 
Croftes.  My  Lord,  his  highnesse  sends  expresse  commaunde, 
that  a  record  be  entred  of  this  riott, 

539  were^  first  e  altered  from  h  544  pencil  cross  at  end. 

548  there  are  some  traces  of  darker  ink  about  the  middle  of  the  lacuna,  which  probably  indicate  a  deletion. 

549  Dyce  indicates  the  loss  of  a  line :  there  is  no  trace,  but  it  must  presumably  have  occurred  at  the  bottom  of 
the  page. 

551  Ckamberlain]  the  C  which  is  still  legible  though  damaged  in  the  facsimile  has  disappeared  wholly  from 
the  MS. 

553  S.D.  in  left  margin  added  by  C. 

C  2 


20 


Sir  Thomas  More 


[FOL. 


And  that  the  cheefe  and  capitall  offendours 
be  theron  straite  arraignde,  for  him  selfe  intends 
to  sit  in  person  on  the  rest  to  morrowe 
at  Westminster. 

Shrew.  Lord  Maior,  you  heare  your  charge. 

Come  good  Sir  Thomas  Moore,  to  Court  let's  hye 
you  are  th'appeaser  of  this  mutinie. 

Moore.  My  Lord  farewell,  new  dayes  begets  new  tides 

Life  whirles  bout  fate,  then  to  a  graue  it  slydes.  — 
Enter  M^  SherifTe,  and  meete  a  Messenger. 

Sheriff.  Messenger,  what  newes  ? 
Mess.  Is  execution  yet  performde  ? 

Sheriff.  Not  yet,  the  Cartes  stand  readie  at  the  stayres, 
and  they  shall  presently  away  to  Tibourne. 

Messe.  Stay  M^  Shreeue,  it  is  the  Councelles  pleasure, 
for  more  example  in  so  bad  a  case, 
a  libbit  be  erected  in  Cheapside, 
hard  by  the  Standerd,  whether  you  must  bring 
Lincolne,  and  those  that  were  the  cheefe  with  him, 
to  suffer  death,  and  that  immediatly. 

Sheriff.  It  shalbe  doone  Sir.     Officers,  be  speedie 
call  for  a  libbit,  see  it  be  erected, 
others  make  haste  to  Newgate,  bid  them  bring, 
the  prisoners  hether,  for  they  heere  must  dye. 
Away  I  say,  and  see  no  time  be  slackt. 
Off.  we  goe  Sir. 

Sheriff.  Thats  well  said  fellowes,  now  you  doo  your  dutie  - 
God  for  his  pittie  help  these  troublous  times 
The  streetes  stopte  vp  with  gazing  multitudes, 
commaund  our  armed  Officers  with  Halberds, 
make  way  for  entraunce  of  the  prisoners. 


'560 


exeunt  seuerally. 


•570 


/  Ent.  Officers 
ex.  Mess. 


»58o 


ex.  some  seuerally,  others 
set  vp  the  libbit 


566  Scene  vii.        Dyce  supplies  with  Officers  after  Sheriffe 

568  there  is  a  small  cross  in  the  same  ink  as  the  text  before  the  speaker's  name. 

575-6  Dyce  omits  s.D.  577  Dyce  supplies  s.D.  Ex.  Mess,  after  Sir.  580  heere\  Dyce  here 

583-96  marked  for  omission.  583  other s\  s  covered  by  mounting  paper. 


Scs.vi,vii]  Original  Text  (S)  21 

Let  proclamation  once  againe  be  made, 

that  euery  housholder,  on  paine  of  deathe 

keep  in  his  Prentises,  and  euery  man,  •590 

stand  with  a  weapon  readie  at  his  doore, 

as  he  will  answere  to  the  contrary. 


Off. 
Sheriffe. 


He  see  it  doone  Sir.  exit,      enter  another  Officer. 


Bring  them  away  to  execution, 

the  writt  is  come  abooue  two  houres  since, 

the  Cittie  will  be  fynde  for  this  n^lect. 


Off.  Thers  such  a  preasse  and  multitude  at  Newgate, 

they  cannot  bring  the  Cartes  vnto  the  stayres 

to  [bring]  take  the  prisoners  in. 
Sheriff.  Then  let  them  come  on  foote,  •600 

we  may  not  dally  time  with  great  comaund. 
Off.  Some  of  the  Benche  Sir,  thinke  it  very  fit 

that  stay  be  made,  and  giue  it  out  abroade 

the  execution  is  deferd  till  morning, 

And  when  the  streetes  shall  be  a  little  cleerd, 

to  chaine  them  vp,  and  suddenly  dispatch  it.  /    The  Prisoners  are  brought 

Sheriff.  Stay,  in  meane  time  me  thinkes  they  come  along.  in  well  guarded. 

See,  they  are  comming,  so,  tis  very  well. 

Bring  Lincolne  there  the  first  vnto  the  tree.   — 
Lin.  I  knewe  the  first  Sir,  did  belong  to  me.  ' —  CLO.  I  FOR  I  CRY  LAG      •610 

This  the  olde  prouerbe  now  compleate  dooth  make,  SiR 

that  Lincolne  should  be  hangd  for  Londons  sake. 

A  Gods  name,  lets  to  woorke :  ffellowe,  dispatche,        /  he  goes  vp. 

I  was  the  formoste  man  in  this  rebellion 

and  I  the  formoste  that  must  dye  for  it. 

597  pfeasse\  Dyce  presse  598  vnlo\  Dyce  onio  599  brtng'\  g  unfinished. 

602  cross  as  in  '568.  605  be\  interlined.  606  broughi\  ht  covered  by  mounting  paper. 

607  Stay^  in]  in  possibly  deleted. 

6lo-ii  marginal  addition  by  B.  An  attempt  was  first  made  to  write  the  addition  immediately 
opposite  *6o9,  but  this  was  smudged  out :  the  words  do  I  cry  Lag  are  however  still  clearly  visible. 

610  lag\  Dyce  printed  lug  which  is  equally  possible  as  far  as  the  form  of  the  letter  is  concerned  :  lag 
however  is  dearly  right  on  the  ground  of  sense  and  is  supported  by  the  deleted  first  attempt  which  has 
Lag  quite  clearly. 

613  lets\  Dyce  let  vs 


22  Sir  Thomas  More  [Fols.  ^o^^I» 

Doll.  Brauely  lohn  Lincolne^  let  thy  death  expresse, 

that  as  thou  Hu'dst  a  man,  thou  dyedst  no  lesse. 
Lin.  Doll  Williamson,  thine  eyes  shall  witnesse  it. 

Then  to  all  you  that  come  to  viewe  mine  end, 

I  must  confesse,  I  had  no  ill  intent,  «6ao 

but  against  such  as  wrongd  vs  ouer  much. 

And  now  I  can  perceiue,  it  was  not  fit, 

that  priuate  men  should  carue  out  their  redresse, 

which  way  they  list,  no,  learne  it  now  by  me 

obedience  is  the  best  in  eche  degree. 

And  asking  mercie  meekely  of  my  King, 

I  paciently  submit  me  to  the  lawe. 

But  God  forgiue  them  that  were  cause  of  it. 

and  as  a  Christian,  truely  from  my  hart : 

I  likewise  craue  (they)  wo(uld  forgiue  me)  too.  •630 

< 

that  others  by  example  (of  the  same)  FOL.  11* 

hencefoorth  be  warned  (to)  attempt  the  like 

gainst  any  alien  that  repaireth  heth(er) 

fare  ye  well  all,  the  next  time  that  we  meete 

1  trust  in  heauen  we  shall  eche  other  greete.  /    he  leapes  off 

Doll,  ffarewell  lohn  Lincolne,  say  all  what  they  can : 

thou  liu'dst  a  good  fellowe,  and  dyedst  an  honest  man.         CLO  WOLD  I  WEARE  SO 

Sheriff.  Bring  Williamson  there  forwarde.  FARRE  ON  MY  lURNEY 

Doll.  Good  M'.  Shreeue,  I  haue  an  earnest  suite,  THE  first  stretche  IS 

and  as  you  are  a  man  deny't  me  not.  the  worste  ME  THINKS 

Sheriff,  woman,  what  is  it  ?  be  it  in  my  power,  •64J 

thou  shalt  obtayne  it. 

Doll.  Let  me  dye  next  Sir,  that  is  all  I  craue, 

you  knowe  not  what  a  comforte  you  shall  bring 

to  my  poore  hart  to  dye  before  my  husband. 

617  dyedsi\  t  altered  ?  631  Dyce  indicates  the  loss  of  a  line,  and  some  trace  is  visible. 

632  &c.  page  covered  with  tracing  paper  as  far  as  683  inclusive. 

636  heauen\  second  e  altered  ? 

638-41  marginal  addition  by  B.  641  worsted  Dyce  werste 


Sc.  vii] 


Original  Text  (S) 


'2-'h 


CLO  Sir  and  I  haue 

A  SUITE  TO  YOU  TOO 
WHAT  IS  YTT 


THAT  AS  YOU  HAUE         *^lo 
HANGD  LINCOLNE  FIRST  & 
WILL  HANGE  HIR  NEXTE 
SO  [that]  YOU  WILL  NOTT 
HANGE  ME  AT  ALL 
NAYE  YOU  SET  OPE  THE 
COUNTER  GATES  AND  YO<U 
MUST  HANGE  THE  FOLYE 
WELL  THEN  SO  MUCH  FORiY"^ 

»66o 


Sheriff.  Bring  her  to  death,  she  shall  haue  her  desire.       

Doll.  Sir,  your  free  bountie  much  contents  my  minde, 

Commend  me  to  that  good  Shreeue  M^  Moore, 

and  tell  him  had't  not  bin  for  his  perswasion, 

lohn  Lincolne  had  not  hung  heere  as  he  does. 

we  would  first  haue  lockt  vp  in  Leaden  hall, 

and  there  bin  burnt  to  ashes  with  the  roofe. 
Sheriff,  woman,  what  M'.  Moore  did,  was  a  subiects  dutie, 

and  hath  so  pleasde  our  gracious  Lord  the  King, 

that  he  is  hence  remoou'de  to  higher  place, 

and  made  of  Councell  to  his  Maiestie. 
Doll,  well  is  he  woorthie  of  it  by  my  troth, 

an  honest,  wise,  well  spoken  Gentleman, 

yet  would  I  praise  his  honestie  much  more, 

if  he  had  kept  his  woord,  and  sau'de  our  Hues, 

but  let  that  passe,  men  are  but  men,  and  so, 

woords  are  but  wordes,  and  payes  not  what  men  owe. 

Now  husband,  since  perhaps  the  world  may  say, 

that  through  my  meanes  thou  comste  thus  to  thy  end : 

heere  I  beginne  this  cuppe  of  death  to  thee, 

because  thou  shalt  be  sure  to  taste  no  wursse, 

then  I  haue  taken,  that  must  goe  before  thee. 

what  though  I  be  a  woman,  thats  no  matter, 

I  doo  owe  God  a  death,  and  I  must  pay  him. 

Husband,  giue  me  thy  hand,  be  not  dismayed, 

this  charre  beeing  charde,  then  all  our  debt  is  payd. 

Only  two  little  babes  we  leaue  behinde  vs, 

and  all  I  can  bequeathe  them  at  this  time, 

is  but  the  looue  of  some  good  honest  freend  : 

to  bring  them  vp  in  charitable  sorte. 

what  maisters,  he  goes  vpright  that  neuer  haltes, 

647-58  marginal  addition  by  B.    Dyce  supplies  speakers'  names,  alternatively  Sher.  and  C/<7.,  without  indication 
that  they  are  not  in  the  MS. 

652  Dyce  supplies  bin  after  haue  657  Dyce  supplies/^r  after  hange       folye]  Dyce  fofy 

658  he]  interlined.       y]  Dyce  //  663  payes]  Dyce  paies  664  Now]  Dyce  You 


.670 


24  Sir  Thomas  More  [Fols.  n'." 

and  they  may  Hue  to  mend  their  parents  faultes. 
Will,  why  well  sayd  wife,  yfaith  thou  cheerst  my  hart, 

giue  me  thy  hand,  lets  kisse,  and  so  lets  part.  /    he  kisses  her  on  the  ladder.  •680 

Doll,  The  next  kisse  wilHamson,  shalbe  in  heauen. 

Now  cheerely  Lads,  George  Bets,  a  hand  with  thee, 

and  thine  too  Rafe,  and  thine  good  honest  Sherwin. 

Now  let  me  tell  the  women  of  this  towne, 

No  straunger  yet  brought  doll  to  lying  downe. 

So  long  as  I  an  Englishman  can  see, 

Nor  ffrenche  nor  dutche  shall  get  a  kisse  of  me. 

And  when  that  I  am  dead,  for  me  yet  say, 

I  dyed  in  scorne  to  be  a  straungers  preye.  /    a  great  shout  and  noise, 

within.  Pardon,  Pardon,  pardon,  pardon  Enter  Surrey.  tepo 

Roome  for  the  Eale  of  Surrey,  roome  there  roome. 
Sur.  Saue  the  mans  life,  if  it  be  possible. 
Sheriff.  It  is  too  late  my  Lord,  hees  dead  alreadie. 
Sur.  I  tell  ye  M"',  Sheriffe,  you  are  too  forwarde, 

to  make  such  haste  with  men  vnto  their  death, 

I  thinke  your  paines  will  merit  little  thankes 

since  that  his  Highnesse  is  so  mercifull, 

as  not  to  spill  the  blood  of  any  subiect. 
Sheriff.  My  noble  Lord,  would  we  so  much  had  knowen, 

the  Councelles  warrant  hastened  our  dispatche,  .700 

it  had  not  else  bin  doone  so  suddenly : 
Sur.  Sir  Thomas  Moore  humbly  vppon  his  knee, 

did  begge  the  Hues  of  all,  since  on  his  woord 

they  did  so  gently  yeeld.     The  King  hath  graunted  it, 

and  made  him  Lord  high  Chauncellour  of  England, 

according  as  he  woorthily  deserues. 

Since  Lincolnes  life  cannot  be  had  againe, 

then  for  the  rest,  from  my  dread  Soueraignes  lippes, 

I  heere  pronounce  free  pardon  for  them  all. 
All.  God  saue  the  King,  God  saue  the  King,  /   flinging  (vp  cappes         •710 

689  Dyce  supplies  within  after  noise  691  Eale\  sic  for  Earle  :  Dyce  Erie 


Scs.  vii,  viiia]  Original  Text  (S)  25 

my  good  Lord  Chauncellour  and  the  Earle  of  Surrey. 
Doll.  And  doll  desires  it  from  her  very  hart, 

Moores  name  may  Hue  for  this  right  noble  part. 

And  w(hen)soere  we  talke  of  ill  May  day : 

(praise  Moore 
Sur.  I(n  ho)pe  his  highnesse  clemencie  (and)  mercie,  FOL.  11^ 

w(h)ich  in  the  armes  of  milde  and  meeke  compassion 

would  rather  clip  you,  as  the  loouing  Nursse 

oft  dooth  the  waywarde  Infant,  then  to  leaue  you, 

to  the  sharp  rodd  of  Justice  so  to  drawe  you,  *^*<i 

to  shun  such  lewde  assemblies,  as  beget 

vnlawfuU  riots  and  such  trayterous  acts, 

that  striking  with  the  hand  of  priuate  hate, 

maime  your  deare  countrie  with  a  publique  wounde. 

Oh  God,  that  mercie,  w^hose  maiestick  browe, 

should  be  vnwrinckled,  and  that  awefuU  iustice, 

which  looketh  through  a  vaile  of  sufferaunce 

vppon  the  frailtie  of  the  multitude 

should  with  the  clamours  of  outragious  wrongs, 

be  stird  and  wakened  thus  to  punishment.  •73° 

But  your  deserued  death  he  dooth  forgiue, 

who  giues  you  life,  pray  all  he  long  may  Hue 
All.  God  saue  the  King,  God  saue  the  King, 

my  good  Lord  Chauncellour  and  the  Earle  of  Surrey. exeunt. 

(this) MUST BENEWE      A  table  beeing  couered  with  a  greene  Carpet,  a  state  Cushion  on  it, 
(WRITT)EN  and  the  Pursse  and  Mace  lying  thereon  Enter  Sir  Thomas  Moore  and 

his  man  Randall  with  him,  attyred  like  him. 
Moore.  \  Come  on  Sir,  are  you  readie  ? 

714  day  i'X  Dyce  daie 

715  the  word  after  Moore  is  almost  certainly  ivhose:  various  other  tall  letters  are  visible,  but  nothing  can  be 
made  out  clearly :  the  line  presumably  rimed.     The  rule  which  presumably  marked  off  the  speech  has  disappeared. 

716  &c.  page  covered  with  tracing  paper  as  far  as  760  inclusive. 
726-30  (?  for  725-30)  marked  for  omission. 

735  Scene  viii  a. 

735-96  marked  for  omission  and  heavily  crossed  out. 

735-6  the  marginal  note,  which  is  now  partly  illegible,  is  in  an  uncertain  hand,  possibly  B. 

D 


26 


Sir  Thomas  More 


[FOL.  II* 


Ran. 
Moore. 


Ran. 
Moore. 

Ran 

Moore. 

Sur. 


yes  my  Lord,  I  stand  but  vppon  a  fewe  pointes,  I  shall  haue  doone  presently, 
Is  it  your  honors  pleasure  that  I  should  [be]  growe  proude  now  ?  •740 


I,  I  must  haue  thee  proude,  or  else  thou'lt  nere 

be  neere  allyed  to  greatnesse :  obserue  me  Sir. 

The  learned  Clarke  Erasmus  is  arriu'de 

within  our  Englishe  Courte,  this  day  I  heare, 

he  feasteth  with  an  Englishe  honourd  Poett 

the  Earle  of  Surrey,  and  I  knowe  this  night 

the  famous  Clarke  of  Roterdame  will  visite 

Sir  Thomas  Moore,  therfore  Sir,  act  my  parte, 

there,  take  my  place  furnishte  with  pursse  and  Mace. 

He  see  if  great  Erasmus  can  distinguishe 

merit  and  outward  ceremonie  :  obserue  me  Sirra, 

He  be  thy  glasse,  dresse  thy  behauiour 

according  to  my  cariage,  but  beware 

thou  talke  not  ouermuch,  for  twill  betray  thee. 

who  prates  not  oft,  seemes  wise,  his  witt  fewe  scan, 

whilste  the  tounge  blabs  tales  of  th'imperfect  man. 


►750 


I  conceiue  your  Lordship,  and  haue  learnde  your  shift  so  well,  that  I  must  needes 
be  apprehensiue[  ].  The  waites  playes  within 


This  Musique  telles  vs,  that  the  Earle  is  come 

with  learnde  Erasmus.     Now  my  Lord  Chauncellour, 

Act  like  a  formall  Player  our  graue  parte. 


►760 


I  pray  ye  my  Lord,  let  me  comaund  ye  to  leaue  me,  if  I  doo  it  not  in  kew,  let 
your  Lordship  bannishe  me  from  the  wearing  of  a  golde  chaine  for  euer. 


They  come  now,  set  thy  countenaunce,  act  thy  parte 
with  a  firme  boldnesse,  and  thou  winnest  my  hart.     - 


exit 


Musique,  enter  Surrey ^  Erasmus  and  attendants. 
Now  great  Erasmus^  you  approche  the  presence, 
of  a  moste  learned  woorthie  Gentleman. 
This  little  He  holdes  not  a  truer  freend 


740  growe\  interlined.  742  greatnesse ;]  «  interlined.  745  honourd]  Dyce  honoured 

748  act  my]  Dyce  acting  757  Lordship]  ship  interlined. 

749  furnishte]  Dyc&furnisht       758  apprehensiue.]  some  mark  after  the  final  e  has  been  crossed  out. 
761-96  till  lately  covered  by  fol.  11*:  consequently  not  printed  by  Dyce. 


Sc,  viiia] 


Original  Text  (S) 


27 


Eras. 


Sur. 


Eras. 


Sur. 


) 


vnto  the  Artes :  nor  dooth  his  greatnesse  add 
a  feigned  florishe  to  his  woorthie  meritt. 
Hees  great  in  studie,  thats  the  statists  grace, 
that  gaines  more  reuerence  then  the  outward  place. 


Reporte  my  Lord  hath  crost  the  narrow  Seas, 
and  to  the  seuerall  partes  of  Christendome 
hath  borne  the  fame  of  your  Lord  Chauncellour. 
I  longd  to  see  him,  whom  with  loouing  thoughts 
I  in  my  studie  oft  haue  visited. 
Is  yond  Sir  Thomas  ? 


It  is  Erasmus. 

Now  doo  you  viewe  the  honorablest  Scholler, 

the  moste  religious  Politician, 

the  woorthiest  Councellour  that  tends  our  state. 

That  Studie  is  the  generall  watche  of  England, 

In  it,  the  Princes  safetie,  and  the  peace, 

that  shines  vppon  our  comon  weale,  [is]  are  forgde. 

vppon  the  golden  Anuile  of  his  braine. 

who  cures  the  Realme,  such  care  attends  the  great, 

that  minde  and  bodie  must  together  sweate. 


His  Lordship  hath  some  weightie  busines  sure, 
for  see,  as  yet  he  takes  no  notice  of  vs. 
I  thinke  twere  best  I  doo  my  dutie  to  him 
in  a  short  Latine  speeche. 


It  will  doo  well, 

hees  the  best  linguist  that  we  haue  in  England. 

Cum  tua  virtusy  {amplissimi^    )doctissime  que  vir)  ( 


►770 


1780 


►790 


[Here  one  or  more  original  leaves  are  lost.'\ 


772  statists]  /altered.  786  are]  interlined.  792  1  thinke]  /doubtful.  793  in]  doubtful. 

796  considerable  traces,  apparently  of  two  further  words,  remain,  but  not  enough  to  lead  so  far  to  the 
restoration  of  the  reading.  The  word  next  after  vir  is  almost  entirely  indecipherable,  but  may  possibly 
end  in  as ;  the  next  probably  begins  peruen 

D  2 


28 


Sir  Thomas  More 


[FoL.  i4» 


Faulk. 

Shrew. 

Sur. 

Moore. 
Faulk. 
Moore. 
Faulk. 
Moore. 


Sur. 
Faulk. 
Moore. 


Methinkes  this  straunge  and  Ruffinlike  disguise, 
fits  not  the  follower  of  a  secretarie. 


My  Lord,  I  weare  my  haire  vppon  a  vow. 


But  for  no  penaunce  of  your  sinnes  I  feare. 


FOL.  14* 


tSoo 


No,  hees  no  haire-cloth  man,  though  he  weare  haire. 


ffaulkener,  how  long  ist  since  you  cutt  your  locks  ? 


Three  yeares  my  Lord. 


How  long  wilt  be  before  your  vow  expire  ? 


As  many  yeares  as  since  my  haire  was  cut. 


Sure,  vowes  are  holy  things,  if  they  be  made 

to  good  intent,  and  Sir,  you  shall  not  say, 

you  were  compelde  by  me  to  breake  your  vowe. 

But  till  the  expiration  of  the  same, 

because  I  will  not  haue  ye  walke  the  streetes, 

for  euery  man  to  stand  and  wunder  at, 

I  will  comitt  ye  prisoner  vnto  Newgate. 

Except  meane  time,  your  conscience  giue  you  leaue, 

to  dispense  with  the  long  vow  that  you  haue  made 

Away  with  him. 


tPio 


A  Cell  moste  meete  for  such  a  votarie. 


well  Sir,  and  I  may  perhaps  be  bailde  er't  be  long,  and  yet  weare  my  haire( 

And  Mr.  Sheriff  of  London,  they  lead  him  out : 

heere  in  his  highnesse  name  we  giue  you  charge, 

continuall  watche  be  kept  through  out  the  cittie,  tSao 

for  the  suppressing  of  these  mutinies. 

And  if  heerafter  any  that  belong, 

either  to  my  Lord  of  Winchester  or  Elie, 

doo  come  into  your  Cittie  with  a  weapon, 

or  abooue  two  of  either  faction, 

shall  be  scene  walking  in  the  streetes  together 

or  meete  in  Tauerne  or  in  Ordinarie, 

they  be  comitted  presently  to  prison. 


797  For  fols  ii*,  12,  13,  13*  see  among  Additions.  Scene  viii  b. 
797-876  heavily  crossed  out :  there  is  no  actual  line  down  the  edge. 
822  heera/ter]  Dyce  hereafter 


Sc.  viii3] 


Original  Text  (S) 


29 


Sur. 


Moris. 
Moor. 
Moris. 

Moore. 

Moris. 


Moore. 
Moris. 
Moore. 
Faulk. 
Moore. 


Faulk. 
Moris. 

Moore. 


And  cause  to  be  proclaimd  about  the  Cittie, 
that  no  man  whatsoeuer,  that  belongs, 
either  to  my  Lord  of  Winchester  or  Elie, 
doo  walke  without  the  liuerie  of  his  Lord, 
either  in  cloke  or  any  other  garment, 
that  notice  may  be  taken  of  th'offenders. 


t83o 


God  saue  your  honor  my  Lord  Chauncellour. 


Enter  M'.  Morris. 
&.  ex.  Sherif  and  the  rest. 


welcome  M^  Morris,  what  newes  Sir? 


I  come  moste  humbly  to  entreate  your  honor, 
in  the  behalfe  of  a  poore  man  of  mine. 


what,  the  votarie,  that  will  not  cut  his  haire, 
vntill  the  expiration  of  his  vow  ? 


t84o 


My  lord,  beeing  sorie  for  his  rude  behauiour, 

he  hath  cut  his  haire,  and  dooth  conforme  him  selfe 

[to  honest  decencie]  in  his  attire. 


where  is  the  fellow  ?  I  am  glad  to  heare  it. 


heere  my  good  Lord. 


Faukener  is  brought 


you  mock  me  surely,  this  is  not  the  man. 


yes  indeed  my  Lord,  I  am  he. 


Thou  art  not  sure. 

the  other  was  an  vglie  filthie  knaue, 

thou,  a  good  featurde  and  well  fauourd  man. 

why  see  what  monsters  you  will  make  your  selues, 

by  cherishing  a  lothsome  excrement, 

t'abuse  the  goodly  ymage  of  a  man, 

whom  God  did  frame  so  excellent  a  creature. 

well,  be  a  peaceable  and  ciuill  man, 

I  doo  dischardge  thee. 


tSso 


I  humbly  thanke  your  honor. 


And  my  selfe 

[shall  rest  moste]  thankfull  for  this  gracious  fauour. 


wilt  please  your  honors  now  to  keepe  your  way 
I  feare  the  Lordes  are  hindered  by  our  stay. 


t86o 


exeunt  Lordes. 


834  th' offenders. 1  Dyce  the  offenders  840  vow  f]  v  altered  ?  843  decencie]  cenc  doubtful. 

849-76  till  recently  covered  by  fol.  13*:  consequently  not  printed  by  Dyce. 


30 


Sir  Thomas  More 


[FOLS.  14' 


».»> 


Moris. 


Faulk. 


See  Sir  what  your  Ruffian  tricks  come  too, 
you  thinke  the  eye  of  wisedome  doo's  not  see, 
into  the  brainsick  follies  of  vaine  heades, 
but  with  your  swaggering,  you  can  bear't  away. 


Sir,  I  confesse  I  haue  bin  much  misgouernde, 
and  led  by  ydle  spleenes,  which  now  I  see, 
are  like  them  selues,  meere  sottishe  vanitie. 
when  (    )  the  layle  I  better  (    )llde  to  minde 
the  graue  rebukes  of  my  Lord  Chauncell( 
and  lookte  into  my  selfe  with  more  res( 
then  my  rashe  heate  before  would  let  m( 
I  caused  a  Barber  presently  be  sent  f( 
and  moou'de  your  woorship  then  ( 
but  when  I  fall  into  ( 
casheere  me  ( 
( 


t87o 


)  for  me. 


Enter  S*".  Thomas  Moore,  My.  Roper,  and  Seruing  men  setting  (stooles).    FOL.  14'' 
Moore.  Come  my  good  fellowes,  stirre,  be  dilligent, 

Sloth  is  an  ydle  fellowe,  leaue  him  now,  t88o 

the  time  requires  your  expeditious  seruice. 
Place  me  heere  stooles,  to  set  the  Ladyes  on. 
Sonne  Roper,  you  haue  giuen  order  for  the  banquet. 


Ro.  I  haue  my  Lord,  and  euery  thing  is  readie. 

Moore.  Oh  welcome  wife,  giue  you  direction, 

how  women  should  be  plac'de,  you  knowe  it  best, 
ffor  my  Lord  Maior,  his  bretheren,  and  the  rest, 
Let  me  alone,  men  best  can  order  men 
La.  I  warrant  ye  my  Lord,  all  shalbe  well 

Ther's  one  without  that  stayes  to  speake  with  ye, 
And  bad  me  tell  ye  that  he  is  a  Player. 

Moore.  A  Player  wife  ?  one  of  ye  bid  him  come  in. 

Nay  stirre  there  fellowes,  fye,  ye  are  to  slowe. 


/  Enter  his  Lady. 


+890 


ex,  one. 


863  dooms']  's  inserted.  87 1 -3  in  each  case  the  last  letter  is  doubtful. 

877  clear  traces  of  this  line  appear  under  the  mending  paper,  but  it  was  probably  the  last  of  the  page. 

878  Scene  ix. 


Scs.viu3,ix]  Original  Text  (S)  31 

See  that  your  lights  be  in  a  readines, 

the  Banquet  shalbe  heere.     Gods  me  Madame, 

leaue  my  Lady  Maioresse  ?  bothe  of  vs  from  the  boord  ? 

and  my  Sonne  Roper  too  ?  what  may  our  guests  thinke  ? 
La.  My  Lord,  they  are  risen,  and  sitting  by  the  fire. 
Moore,  why  yet  goe  you  and  keepe  them  companie, 

It  is  not  meete  we  should  be  absent  bothe.  /  ex.  La.  ent.  Player,      tgoo 

welcome  good  freend,  what  is  your  will  with  me  ? 
Player.  My  Lord,  my  fellowes  and  my  selfe, 

are  come  to  tender  ye  our  willing  seruice, 

so  please  you  to  commaund  vs. 
Moore,  what,  for  a  play,  you  meane  ? 

whom  doo  ye  seme  ?  » 

Player.  My  Lord  Cardinalles  grace. 
Moore.  My  Lord  Cardinalls  players  ?  now  trust  me,  welcome. 

you  happen  hether  in  a  luckie  time, 

to  pleasure  me,  and  benefit  your  selues.  tgio 

The  Maior  of  London,  and  some  Aldermen, 

his  Lady,  and  their  wiues,  are  my  kinde  guests 

this  night  at  supper.     Now,  to  haue  a  play, 

before  the  banquet,  will  be  excellent, 

how  thinke  you  Sonne  Roper  ? 
Ro.  Twill  doo  well  my  Lord, 

and  be  right  pleasing  pastime  to  your  guests. 
Moore.  I  pre  thee  tell  me,  what  playes  haue  ye  ? 
Player,  diuers  my  Lord :  the  Cradle  of  Securitie, 

hit  nayle  o'th  head,  impacient  pouertie,  tgao 

the  play  of  foure  Pees,  diues  and  Lazarus, 

Lustie  luuentus,  and  the  mariage  of  witt  and  wisedome. 
Moore.    The  mariage  of  witt  and  wisedome  ?  that  my  Lads, 

He  none  but  that,  the  theame  is  very  good, 

and  may  maintaine  a  liberall  argument. 

To  marie  wit  to  wisedome,  asks  some  cunning. 

Many  haue  witt,  that  may  come  short  of  wisedome. 

907  a  pencil  cross  at  end. 


32  Sir  Thomas  More  [FoLs.I4^I5« 


weele  see  how  M'.  Poet  playes  his  part, 

and  whether  witt  or  wisedome  grace  his  arte. 

Goe,  make  him  drinke,  and  all  his  fellowes  too,  tpso 

how  manie  are  ye  ? 
Player,  ffoure  men  and  a  boy  Sir. 
Moore.  But  one  boy  ?  then  I  see, 

ther's  but  fewe  women  in  the  play. 
Player.  Three  my  Lord :  dame  Science,  Lady  vanitie, 

and  wisedome  she  her  selfe 
Moore.  And  one  boy  play  them  all  ?  bir  Lady,  hees  loden. 

well  my  good  fellowe  get  ye  straite  together, 

and  make  ye  readie  with  what  haste  ye  may. 

Prouide  their  supper  gainste  the  play  be  doone,  t94o 

else  shall  we  stay  our  guests  heere  ouer  long. 

make  haste  I  pray  ye. 

Player,  we  will  my  Lord.  ex.  Ser.  &.  player. 

Moore,  where  are  the  waytes  ?  goe,  bid  them  play, 

to  spend  the  time  awhile.    /  How  now  Madame !         /  En.  Lady. 
La.  My  Lord  th'are  coming  hether. 
Moore.  Th'are  welcome :  wife,  He  tell  ye  one  thing, 

Our  sporte  is  somewhat  mended,  we  shall  haue 

a  play  to  night :  the  mariage  of  witt  and  wisedome. 

And  acted  by  my  good  Lord  Cardinalles  players.  tpso 

how  like  ye  that  wife  ? 
La.  My  Lord,  I  like  it  well. 

See,  they  are  comming. 
WAITES  PLAY  The  waytes  playes,  Enters  Lord  Maior,  so  many  Aldermen  as  may, 

HERE.  the  Lady  Maioresse  in  Scarlet,  with  other  Ladyes  and  Sir  Thomas 

Moores  daughters,  Seruaunts  carying  lighted  Torches   by  them. 
Moore.  Once  agayne  welcome,  welcome  my  good  Lord  Maior, 

935  Lord]  //touched  up.  936  wisedome]  Dyce  Wisdome  937  bir]  r  altered  in  darker  ink. 

946  cdming]  Dyce  coming  954-5  marginal  direction  added  by  C. 

955  Lady]y,  already  damaged  in  facsimile,  has  wholly  disappeared  in  the  MS.      Ladyes]  Dyce  Ladies 

956  Moores]  s,  already  damaged  in  facsimile,  has  wholly  disappeared  in  the  MS.  Seruaunis] 
Dyce  Seruauntes 

957  «^'«y«^]  Dyce  againe 


Sc.  ix]  Original  Text  (S)  33 

And  bretheren  all  for  once  I  was  your  brother, 

and  so  am  still  in  hart.     It  is  not  state, 

that  can  our  looue  from  London  seperate.  t96o 

( 

(  )  naught  but  pride.  FOL.  15* 

But  they  that  cast  an  eye  still  whence  they  camC;. 

knowe  how  they  rose,  and  how  to  vse  the  same. 
L.  Maior.  My  Lord,  you  set  a  glosse  on  Londons  fame, 

and  make  it  happie  euer  by  your  name. 

Needs  must  we  say,  when  we  remember  Moore^ 

Twas  he  that  droue  rebellion  from  our  doore. 

with  graue  discretions  milde  and  gentle  breath, 

sheelding  a  many  subiects  lines  from  death.  tp?© 

Oh  how  our  Cittie  is  by  you  renownde, 

And  with  your  vertues  our  endeuours  crownde. 
Moore.  No  more  my  good  Lord  Maior :  but  thanks  to  all, 

that  on  so  short  a  summons,  you  would  come 

to  visite  him  that  holdes  your  kindnesse  deere. 

Madame,  you  are  not  merie  with  my  Lady  Maioresse, 

And  these  fayre  Ladyes,  pray  ye  seate  them  all, 

And  heere  my  Lord,  let  me  appoint  your  place 

the  rest  to  seate  them  selues :  Nay,  He  wearie  ye, 

you  will  not  long  in  haste  to  visite  me.  tgSo 

La.  Good  Madame  sit,  in  sooth  you  shall  sit  heere. 
La.  Mai.  Good  Madame  pardon  me,  it  may  not  be. 
La.  In  troth  He  haue  it  so,  He  sit  heere  by  yee, 

Good  Ladyes  sit,  more  stooles  heere  hoe. 
La.  Mai.  It  is  your  fauour  Madame  makes  rae  thu^ 

presume  abooue  my  merit 
La.  when  we  come  to  you, 

then  shall  you  rule  vs,  as  we  rule  you  heere. 

Now  must  I  tell  ye  Madame,  we  haue  a  play, 

958  alT\  II,  already  damaged  in  ^csimile,  has  wholly  disappeared  in  the  MS. 

961  Dyce  indicates  the  loss  of  a  line  :  traces  remain. 

962  there  is  a  blot  before  naught ;  possibly  a  deletion.  972  endeuours]  Dyce  endeauours 

E 


34  Sir  Thomas  More  [Fols.  15*'^ 

to  welcome  ye  withall :  how  good  so  ere,  tgpo 

that  knowe  not  I,  my  Lord  will  haue  it  so. 
Moore,  wife,  hope  the  best,  I  am  sure  theyle  doo  their  best, 
they  that  would  better,  comes  not  at  their  feaste. 
My  good  Lord  Cardinalles  players,  I  thanke  them  for  it, 
play  vs  a  play,  to  lengthen  out  your  welcome, 
[my  good  Lord  Maior,  and  all  my  other  freends.] 
They  say  it  is  the  mariage  of  wit  and  wisedome, 
A  theame  of  some  importe,  how  ere  it  prooue : 
but  if  Arte  faile,  weele  inche  it  out  with  looue. 

what,  are  they  readie  ?  .  tiooo 

Sen  My  Lord,  one  of  the  Players  craues  to  speake  with  you. 
Moore,  with  me  ?  where  is  he  ?  /        Enter  Inclination  the  vise,  readie. 

Incli.  heere  my  Lord. 
Moore.  How  now  ?  what's  the  matter  ? 
Incli.  we  would  desire  your  honor  but  to  stay  a  little,  one  of  my  fellowes  is  but  run 
to  Oagles,  for  a  long  beard  for  young  witt,  and  heele  be  heere  presently. 
Moore.  A  long  beard  for  young  witt  ?  why  man,  he  may  be  with  out  a  beard  till  he  come 
to  mariage,  for  witt  goes  not  all  by  the  hayre :  when  comes  witt  in  ? 
Incli.  In  the  second  Scene,  next  to  the  Prologue  my  Lord. 
Moore,  why  play  on   till   that   Sceane  come,   and  by  that  time  witts  beard  will  be 
growne,   or  else   the   fellowe  returned  with   it.     And  what  part  plaist   thou? 
Incli.  Inclination  the  vice  my  Lord.  tioia 

Moore.  Gramercies,    now   I   may   take    the  vice  if  I   list :    and   wherfore    hast   thou 
that  bridle  in  thy  hand  ? 
Incli.  I  must  be  bridled  annon  my  Lord. 
Moore.  And  thou  beest  not  sadled  too,  it  makes  no  matter,  for  then  witts  inclina- 
tion may  gallop  so   fast,   that  he  will  outstrip  wisedome,   and   fall   to   follie. 
Incli.  Indeed  so  he  does  to  Lady  vanitie :  but  we  haue  no  follie  in  our  play. 
Moore.  Then  ther's  no  witt  in't.  He  be  sworne :  ffollie  waites  on  witt,  as  the  shaddow(e 
on  the  bodie,  and  where  witt  is  ripest,  there  follie  still  is  readiest.     But  beginne 
I  pre  thee,  weele  rather  allowe  a  beardlesse  witt,  then  witt  all  bearde  to  haue 
no  braine.  tioaa 

996  the  line  is  crossed  out  in  rather  darker  ink.  1002  a  pencil  cross  after  ^/ 

1 02 1  to\  o  altered  or  touched  up. 


Sc.  ix]  Original  Text  (S)  35 

Inch.  Nay,  he  has  his  apparell  on  too  my  Lord,  and  therfore  he  is  the  readier  to  enter. 
Moore.  Then  good  Inclination  beginne  at  a  venter.  exit. 

My  Lord  Maior :  witt  lacks  a  beard,  or  else  they  would  beginne, 

Ide  lend  him  mine,  but  that  it  is  too  thinne. 

Silence,  they  come. 

The  Trompet  soundes,  enter  the  Prologue. 
Pro.  Now  for  as  much  as  in  these  latter  dayes, 

throughout  the  whole  world  in  euery  land ;  tios© 

vice  dooth  encrease  and  vertue  decayes, 

Iniquitie  hauing  the  vpper  hand. 

we  therfore  intend  good  gentle  Audience, 

a  prettie  short  Enterlude  to  play  at  this  present, 

desiring  your  leaue  and  quiet  silence, 

to  shewe  the  same  as  is  meete  and  expedient 

It  is  called  the  mariage  of  witt  and  wisedome, 

A  matter  right  pithie  and  pleasing  to  heare, 
(  wherof  in  breefe  we)  will  (shewe)  the  (whole  summe 

But  I  must  begon,  for  (witt  dooth)  appeare.  exit         FOL.  \^ 

Enter  Witt  ruffling,  and  Inclination  the  vice. 
Witt.  In  an  arbour  greene,  a  sleepe  where  as  I  lay,  tio43 

The  birdes  sang  sweetely  in  the  midst  of  the  day, 

I  dreamed  fast  of  mirthe  and  play, 

In  youth  is  pleasure,  in  youthe  is  pleasure. 

Me  thought  I  walked  still  to  and  fro. 

And  from  her  companie  I  could  not  goe, 

But  when  I  waked,  it  was  not  so, 

In  youth  is  pleasure,  in  youth  is  pleasure.^ 

Therfore  my  hart  is  surely  plight,  tioso 

Of  her  alone  to  haue  a  sight, 

which  is  my  ioy  and  harts  delight. 

In  youth  is  pleasure,  in  youth  is  pleasure. 
Moore.  Marke  ye  my  Lord,  this  is  witt  without  a  bearde,  what  will  he  be,  by  that 

time  he  comes  to  the  commoditie  of  a  bearde  ? 

1024  Dyce  supplies /«f/t«.  after  ^;«V         1028  Jt?7<«r/<?j,]  ^  altered.  1031  doothi  DycG  doth 

E  2 


36  Sir  Thomas  More  [FoLs.I5^I7* 

Incli.  Oh  Sir,  the  ground  is  the  better  on  which  she  dooth  gee. 

ffor  she  will  make  better  cheere  with  a  little  she  can  get : 

then  many  a  one  can  with  a  great  banquet  of  meat. 
Witt.  And  is  her  name  wisedome  ? 
Incli.  I  Sir,  a  wife  moste  fitt,  tio6o 

for  you  my  good  maister,  my  daintie  sweet  Witt. 
Witt.  To  be  in  her  companie,  my  hart  it  is  set. 

therfore  I  pre  thee  to  let  vs  begon : 

for  vnto  wisedome  Witt  hath  Inclination. 
Incli  Oh  Sir,  she  will  come  her  selfe  euen  annon. 

ffor  I  tolde  her  before  where  we  would  stand 

And  then  she  sayd  she  would  beck  vs  with  her  hand. 

Back  with  those  boyes,  and  saucie  great  knaues,         /  florishing  his  dagger. 

what,  stand  ye  heere  so  bigge  in  your  braues  ? 

my  dagger  about  your  coxecombes  shall  walke,  tio7o 

if  I  may  but  so  much  as  heare  ye  chat  or  talke. 
Witt.  But  will  she  take  paines  to  come  for  vs  hether  ? 
Incli.  I  warrant  ye,  therfore  you  must  be  familiare  with  her. 

when  she  commeth  in  place, 

you  must  her  embrace,  somewhat  hansomely, 

Least  she  thinke  it  daunger, 

because  you  are  a  straunger,  to  come  in  your  companie. 
Witt.  I  warrant  thee  Inclination,  I  will  be  busie, 

Oh  how  witt  longs  to  be  in  wisedomes  companie. 

Enter  Lady  Vanitie  singing,  and  beckning  with  her  hand.  tio8o 

Van.  Come  hether,  come  hether,  come  hether  come : 

Such  cheere  as  I  haue,  thou  shalt  haue  some. 
Moore.  This  is  Lady  Vanitie  He  holde  my  life : 

beware  good  witt^  you  take  not  her  to  wife. 
Incli.  what,  vnknowne  honestie,  a  woord  in  your  eare, 

you  shall  not  be  gon  as  yet  I  sweare.  /    she  offers  to  depart. 

Heer's  none  but  your  freends,  you  need  not  to  fray, 

this  young  Gentleman  looues  ye,  therfore  you  must  stay. 

1068  those\  Dyce  these  1082  cheere\  Dyce  chere 


Sc.  ix]  Original  Text  (S)  37 

Witt.  I  trust  in  me  she  will  thinke  no  daunger, 

for  I  looue  well  the  companie  of  fayre  women :  tiogo 

And  though  to  you  I  am  a  straunger, 
yet  Witt  may  pleasure  you  now  and  then. 
Van.  who  you  ?  nay  you  are  such  a  holy  man, 
that  to  touche  one  you  dare  not  be  bolde  : 
I  thinke  you  would  not  kisse  a  young  woman, 
if  one  would  giue  ye  twentie  pound  in  golde. 
Witt,  yes  in  good  sadnesse  Lady,  that  I  would, 

I  could  finde  in  my  hart  to  kisse  you  in  your  smock. 
Van.  My  back  is  broade  enough  to  beare  that  mock. 

ffor  it  hath  bin  tolde  me  many  a  time :  +1100 

that  you  would  be  seene  in  no  such  companie  as  mine. 
Witt.  Not  Witt  in  the  companie  of  Lady  Wisedome  ? 

Oh  loue  for  what  doo  I  hether  come  ? 
Inch.  Sir,  she  did  this  nothing  else  but  to  prooue, 
whether  a  little  thing  would  you  mooue, 
to  be  angrie  and  frett : 
what  and  if  one  sayd  so, 
let  such  trifling  matters  goe, 
and  with  a  kinde  kisse  come  out  of  her  debt. 

Is  Luggins  come  yet  with  the  beard  ?  /  Enter  an  other  player.  tino 

Player.  No  faith,  he  is  not  come,  alas,  what  shall  we  doo  ? 
Incli.  fforsooth  we  can  goe  no  further,  till  our  fellowe  Luggins  come,[s]  for  he  plays 
good  Councell,  and  now  he  should  enter,  to  admonishe  Witt,  that  this  is  Lad(y 
Vanitiey  and  not  Lady  Wisedome. 
Moore.  Nay,  and  it  be  no  more  but  so,  ye  shall  not  tarie  at  a  stand  for  that,  weele  n(ot 
haue  our  play  marde  for  lack  of  a  little  good  Councell :  till  your  fellowe  co(me 
He  geue  him  the  best  councell  that  I  can,  pardon  me  my  Lord  Maior,  I  lo(ue 
to  (be)  merie 
Moore,  (oh  witt,)  th(ou  art  nowe  on)  the  bo  we  hand,  FOL.  17* 

1 107  and]  interlined.  11 16  lack]  Dyce  lacke 

1 1 17  geue\  the  first  e  is  highly  probable,  though  covered  with  a  small  blot  of  modem  ink:  Dyce  giue 

1118  the  rule  which  presumably  marked  off  the  speech  has  disappeared. 

1119  For  fol.  16  see  among  Additions.       Moore.]  Dyce  omits.        In  the  lacuna  is  a  smudge  of  black 
(?  modem)  ink. 


38  Sir  Thomas  More  [Fol.iv'" 

And  blindely  in  thine  owne  oppinion  doost  stand.  tnao 

I  tell  thee,  this  naughtie  lewde  Inclination, 
Does  lead  thee  amisse  in  a  very  straunge  fashion. 
This  is  not  Wisedome,  but  Lady  Vanitie, 
therfore  list  to  good  councell,  and  be  ruled  by  me. 
Incli.  In  troth  my  Lord,  it  is  as  right  to  Lugginses  part,  as  can  be,  speake  Witt. 
Moore.  Nay,  we  will  not  haue  our  audience  disappointed,  if  I  can  help  it. 
Witt.  Art  thou  good  Councell,  and  wilt  tell  me  so  ? 

wouldst  thou  haue  Witt  from  Lady  Wisedome  to  goe  ? 
Thou  art  some  deceiuer,  I  tell  thee  verily. 

In  saying  that  this  is  Lady  Vanitie.  tii3o 

Moore.  Witt,  iudge  not  things  by  the  outwarde  showe, 
the  eye  oft  mistakes,  right  well  you  doo  knowe. 
Good  councell  assures  thee  vppon  his  honestie, 
that  this  is  not  Wisedome,  but  Lady  Vanitie. 
Enter  Luggins  with  the  bearde. 
Incli.  Oh  my  Lord,  he  is  come,  now  we  shall  goe  forwarde. 
Moore.  Art  thou  come?  well  fellowe,  I  haue  holpe  to  saue  thine  honestie  a   little, 
Now,  if  thou  canst  giue  witt  any  better  councell  then  I  haue  doone,  spare  no(t 
there  I  leaue  him  to  thy  mercie. 

But  by  this  time,  I  am  sure  our  banquet's  readie,  tii4o 

My  Lord,  and  Ladyes,  we  will  taste  that  first, 
And  then  they  shall  begin  the  play  againe, 
which  through  the  fellowes  absence,  and  by  me, 
in  sted  of  helping,  hath  bin  hindered. 
Prepare  against  we  come :  Lights  there  I  say, 

thus  fooles  oft  times  doo  help  to  marre  the  play.         ■  exeunt,  ma.  players. 

Witt,  ffye  fellowe  Luggins,  you  serue  vs  hansomely,  doo  ye  not  thinke  ye. 

Lug.  why,  Oagle  was  not  with  in,  and  his  wife  would  not  let  me  haue  the  beard,  an(d 

by  my  troth  I  ran  so  fast  that  I  sweat  againe.  tii49 

Incli,  doo  ye  heare  fellowes  ?  would  not  my  Lord  make  a  rare  player  ?    Oh,  he  would 

vpholde  a  companie  beyond  all  hoe,  better  then  Mason  among  the  Kings  play- 

II 24  therfore]  Dyce  Therefore  11 36  Incli?^  /touched  up.  1 144  sted]  ^touched  up. 

1 146  mai\  i.e.  manent.        Dyce  supplies  and  enter  one  of  them  who  plays  the  Clown  aSi^r  players 


Scs.ix,x]  Original  Text  (S)  39 

ers :  did  ye  marke  how  extemprically  he  fell  to  the  matter,  and  spake  Luggin- 

ses  parte,  almoste  as  it  is  in  the  very  booke  set  downe. 
Witt.  Peace,  doo  ye  knowe  what  ye  say  ?  my  Lord  a  player  ?  let  vs  not  meddle  with 

any  such  matters  :  yet  I  may  be  a  little  proude,  that  my  Lord  hath  answerd  m(e 

in  my  parte,  but  come,  let  vs  goe  and  be  readie  to  begin  the  play  againe. 
Lug.  I,  thats  the  best,  for  now  w-e  lack  nothing.  [exeunt.] 


Enter  To  the 
players  w"^"  a  reward 


Enter  the  Earles  oiShrewesburie^Surrey^^x^o^  oi  Rochester  3.nd  other 
Lordes,  seuerally,  dooing  curtesie  to  eche  other,  Clark  of  the  Councell 
waiting  bareheaded.  +1160      .^ 

Sur.  Good  morrowe  to  my  Lord  of  Shrewesburie.  .  -.    " ' 

Shrew    The  like  vnto  the  honourd  Earle  of  Surrey. 

yond  comes  my  Lord  of  Rochester. 
Rochest.  Good  morrowe  my  good  Lordes 

Sur.  Clarke  of  the  Councell,  what  time  ist  of  day  ? 
Clarke.  Past  eight  of  clock  my  Lord. 
Shrew.  I  wunder  that  my  good  Lord  Chauncellour, 
dooth  stay  so  long,  considering  ther's  matters 
of  high  importaunce  to  be  scand  vppon. 
Sur.  Clarke  of  the  Councell,  certefie  his  Lordship  tn7o 

the  Lordes  expect  him  heere. 
Rochest.  It  shall  not  need. 

yond  comes  his  Lordship. 

Enter  S"".  Thomas  Moore,  with  Pursse  and  Mace  borne  before  him.  / 
Moore.  Good  morrowe  to  this  faire  assemblye. 

Come  my  good  Lords,  let's  sit  /  Oh  serious  square,     /    they  sit. 

vppon  this  little  borde  is  dayly  scande 

the  health  and  preseruation  of  the  land. 

we  the  Phisiticms  that  effect  this  good, 

now,  by  choise  diett,  annon,  by  letting  blood.  tiiSo 

Our  toyle  and  carefull  watching,  brings  the  King 

in  league  with  slumbers,  to  which,  peace  dooth  sing. 

1 1 52  maiier,]  r  altered?  1152-3  Lugginses}  Dyce  Lugginsses 

1 157  the  S.D.  is  crossed  out  in  darker  ink. 

1 1 58  Scene  x. 

1 1 58-9  marginal  direction  and  reference  mark  (to  fol.  16,  VI)  added  by  C. 

1159  seuerally,']  r  altered  ?  1177  borde\  r  altered  ?  1178  preseruaiion\  Yiyct  preservation 


40  Sir  Thomas  More  [Fols.  i^'.'' 

Auoyde  the  roome  there. 

what  busines  Lords  to  day? 
Shrew.  This  my  good  Lord. 

About  the  entertainement  of  the  Emperour, 

gainst  the  perfidious  fifrenche  into  our  [our]  pay. 
Sur.  My  Lords,  as  tis  the  custome  in  this  place, 

the  youngest  should  speake  first,  so,  if  I  chaunce, 

in  this  case  to  speake  youngly,  pardon  me.  +1190 

I  will  agree,  fifraunce  now  hath  her  full  strength 

as  hauing  newe  recouered  the  pale  blood 

which  warre  sluic'de  foorth,  and  I  consent  to  this, 

that  the  coniunction  of  our  Englishe  forces 

with  armes  of  Germanie,  may  sooner  bring 

this  prize  of  conquest  in.     But  then  my  Lordes, 

As  in  the  morrall  hunting  (twixt  the)  Lyon, 

and  other  be(astes  force  ioynd 

frighted  the  weaker  sharers  from  their  partes.  FOL.  \7^ 

So  if  the  Empires  Soueraigne  chaunce  to  put,  fi  aoo 

his  plea  of  partnership  into  warres  Courte, 

Swoordes  should  discide  the  difference,  and  our  blood  : 

in  priuate  teares  lament  his  entertainement. 
Shrew.  To  doubt  the  wurst  is  still  the  wise  mans  sheeld, 

that  armes  him  safely,  but  the  worlde  knowes  this, 

the  Emperour  is  a  man  of  royall  faith. 

His  looue  vnto  our  Soueraigne,  brings  him  downe, 

from  his  emperiall  seate,  to  marche  in  pay 

vnder  our  English  fflagge,  and  weare  the  crosse, 

like  some  high  order  on  his  manly  breast.  tiaio 

Thus  seruing,  hees  not  Maister  of  him  selfe, 

but  like  a  Collonell,  comaunding  other, 

is  by  the  Generall  ouer-awed  him  selfe. 

1 197  As]  Dyce  Its 

1 199  iheir\  it  looks  as  though  the  h  had  been  altered,  but  probably  it  is  only  a  dark  blot  showing 
through  from  the  recto. 

1203  priuate]  the  u  seems  to  have  been  touched  up,  possibly  in  modem  ink. 

1204  To]  7' altered. 


Sex]  Original  Text  (S)  41 

Rochest.  yet  my  good  Lord. 
Shrew.  Let  me  conclude  my  speeche. 

As  subiects  share  no  portion  in  the  conquest 

of  their  true  Soueraigne  other  then  the  meritt, 

that  from  the  Soueraigne  guerdons  the  true  subiect : 

So  the  good  Emperour  in  a  freendly  league 

of  amitie  with  England,  will  not  soyle  frajo 

his  honor  with  the  theft  of  Englishe  spoyle. 
Moore  There  is  no  question,  but  this  entertainement : 

will  be  moste  honorable,  moste  comodious. 

I  haue  oft  heard  good  Captaines  wish  to  haue 

riche  Soldiours  to  attend  them,  such  as  would  fight 

bothe  for  their  Hues  and  liuings.     Such  a  one, 

is  the  good  Emperour:  I  would  to  God, 

we  had  ten  thousand  of  such  able  men, 

hah,  then  there  would  appeare,  no  Courte,  no  Cittie 

but  where  the  warres  were :  they  would  pay  them  selues.  ti33o 

Then  to  preuent  in  firenche  warres,  Englands  losse : 

let  Germaine  flagges  waue  with  our  Englishe  crosse. 
Enter  Sir  Thomas  Palmer. 
Pal.  My  Lordes,  his  Maiestie  hath  sent  by  me 

these  Articles  enclosde,  first  to  be  viewde, 

and  then  to  be  subscribed  to :  I  tender  them, 

in  that  due  reuerence  which  befitts  this  place.  /    with  great  reuerenc(e 

Moore.  Subscribe  these  Articles  ?  stay,  let  vs  pause, 

our  conscience  first  shall  parley  with  our  lawes. 

My  Lord  of  Rochester^  viewe  you  the  paper.  tx  240 

Rochest.  Subscribe  to  these  ?  now  good  Sir  Thomas  Palmer, 

beseeche  the  King  that  he  will  pardon  me. 

My  hart  will  check  my  hand  whilste  I  doo  write, 

subscribing  so,  I  were  an  hipocrite. 
Pal.  doo  you  refuse  it  then  my  Lord  ? 

1 21 5  speeche. 1  second  e  altered  from  c} 

1233  Thomas]  T'altered.  1235  enclosde,]  Dyce  enclos'de 

1237  reuerence]  c  covered  by  mounting  paper,  final  e  gone.  1 2  40  Rochester,]  comma  doubtfuL 

F 


42 


Sir  Thomas  Move 


[FoLS.  I7^  i8» 


Rochest. 
Pal 


Rochest. 

Pal 
Moore. 


Pal 


Moore. 


Pal 
Sur. 

Pal 

Roches. 

Sur. 


I  doo  Sir  Thomas. 


Then  heere  I  summon  you  foorth  with  t'appeare, 
before  his  maiestie,  to  answere  there 
this  capitall  contempt. 


I  rise,  and  parte, 

in  liew  of  this,  to  tender  him  my  hart. 


tl250 


/    he  riseth. 


wilt  please  your  honor  to  subscribe  my  Lord  ? 


Sir,  tell  his  highnesse,  I  entreate 
some  time  for  to  bethinke  me  of  this  taske. 
In  the  meane  while,  I  doo  resigne  mine  office, 
into  my  Soueraignes  hands. 


ALL  []aLTR' 


Then  my  Lord, 

heare  the  prepared  order  from  the  King. 
On  your  refusall,  you  shall  straite  departe 
vnto  your  house  at  Chelsey^  till  you  knowe 
our  Soueraignes  further  pleasure. 


tl260 


Moste  willingly,  I  goe. 

My  Lordes,  if  you  will  visite  me  at  Chelsey, 

weele  goe  a  fishing,  and  with  a  cunning  nett, 

not  like  weake  filme,  weele  catche  none  but  the  great. 

ffarewell  my  noble  Lordes :  why  this  is  right, 

good  morrowe  to  the  Sunne,  to  state  good  night.  


will  you  subscribe  my  Lordes  ? 


Instantly  good  Sir  Thomas, 

weele  bring  the  writing  vnto  our  Soueraigne. 


My  Lord  of  Rochester, 

you  must  with  me,  to  answere  this  contempt. 


This  is  the  wurst, 

who's  fre(ed  from)  life,  is  from  all  care  exempt. 

(now  let  vs  to  our  Soueraign)e. 


ex.  Moore. 


/    they  write.        tn7o 


ex.  Ro.  &  Pal. 


1247-75  crossed  out  by  T ;  a  large  cross  mark  in  the  margin  may  or  may  not  be  his.  The  line  really 
runs  through  the  text,  not  down  the  side. 

1247  heere^  second  e  altered  from  a  ? 

1256  margmal  note  by  T :  all  is  clear  ;  at  the  beginning  of  the  second  word  a  long  letter  s  or  f  has 
been  crossed  out,  a  has  been  altered,  //  is  clear,  the  rest  is  badly  written  and  quite  doubtful :  Dyce  all 
altered :  the  meaning,  that  the  whole  passage  is  to  be  altered,  is  the  only  certain  point. 


Scs.  X,  xi]  Original  Text  (S)  43 

(  tis  straimge)  that  my  (lord)  Chauncellour  should  refuse  FOL.  18* 

the  dutie  that  the  lawe  of  God  bequeathes 

vnto  the  King. 
Shrew.  Come,  let  vs  in,  no  doubt, 

his  minde  will  alter,  and  the  Bishops  too,  tiaSo 

Errour  in  learned  heads  hath  much  to  doo. 

Enter  the  Lady  Moore,  her  two  daughters,  and  M'.  Roper,  as  walking( 
Ro.  Madame,  what  ayles  yee  for  to  looke  so  sad. 
Lady.  Troth  Sonne,  I  knowe  not  what,  I  am  not  sick, 

and  yet  I  am  not  well :  I  would  be  merie 

but  somewhat  lyes  so  heauie  on  my  hart : 

I  cannot  chuse  but  sigh.    /  You  are  a  Scholler, 

I  pray  ye  tell  me,  may  one  credit  dreames? 
Ro.  why  ask  you  that,  deare  Madame  ? 
Lady.  Because  to  night,  I  had  the  straungest  dreame,  tugo 

that  ere  my  sleep  was  troubled  with. 

Me  thought  twas  night, 

And  that  the  King  and  Queene  went  on  the  Themes, 

in  Bardges  to  heare  musique :  My  Lord  and  I 

were  in  a  little  boate  me  thought,  Lord,  Lord, 

what  straunge  things  Hue  in  slumbers  ?     And  beeing  neere, 

we  grapled  to  the  Bardge  that  bare  the  King. 

But  after  many  pleasing  voyces  spent, 

in  that  still  moouing  musique  house :  me  thought, 

the  violence  of  the  streame  did  seuer  vs  ti3oo 

quite  from  the  golden  fleet,  and  hurried  vs, 

vnto  the  bridge,  which  with  vnused  horror, 

we  entred  at  full  tide,  thence  some  flight  shoote, 

beeing  caried  by  the  waues  :  our  boate  stood  still 

iust  opposite  the  Tower,  and  there  it  turnde, 

and  turnde  about,  as  when  a  whirle-poole  sucks 

the  circkled  waters :  me  thought  that  we  bothe  cryed, 

1281  leamed\  r  interlined.        Dyce  supplies  s.D.  Exeunt,  after  doo 

1282  Scene  xi.        walking]  the  end  of  the  word  has  been  damaged  since  the  facsimile  was  made. 
J  303  J^g^^]  sic :  Dyce  slight 

F  a 


44  ^^'^  Thomas  More  [Fols.  i8».'' 

till  that  we  sunck,  where  arme  in  arme  we  dyed. 
Ro.  Giue  no  respect,  deare  Madame  to  fond  dreames, 

they  are  but  slight  illusions  of  the  blood.  ti3io 

Lady.  Tell  me  not  all  are  so,  for  often  dreames, 
are  true  diuiners,  either  of  good  or  ill. 
I  cannot  be  in  quiet,  till  I  heare, 
how  my  Lord  fares. 
Ro»  aside.  Nor  I.  /  Come  hether  wife 

I  will  not  fright  thy  mother,  to  interprete 
the  nature  of  a  dreame :  but  trust  me  sweete, 
this  night  I  haue  bin  troubled  with  thy  father : 
beyond  all  thought. 
Ro.  wife.  Truely  and  so  haue  I.  tiaao 

Me  thought  I  sawe  him  heere  in  Chelsey  Churche, 
standing  vppon  the  Rood  loft,  now  defac'de. 
And  whilste  he  kneeld  and  prayd  before  the  ymage, 
it  fell  with  him  into  the  vpper  quier, 
where  my  poore  father  lay  all  stainde  in  blood. 
Ro.  Our  dreames  all  meet  in  one  conclusion 
ffatall,  I  feare. 
Lady,  what's  that  you  talke?     I  pray  ye  let  me  knowe  it. 
Ro.  wife.  Nothing  good  mother. 

Lady.  This  is  your  fashion  still,  I  must  knowe  nothing.  ti33o 

Call  Maister  Catesbie,  he  shall  straite  to  Courte, 
and  see  how  my  Lord  does :  I  shall  not  rest, 
vntill  my  hart  leaue  panting  on  his  breast. 

Enter  S'.  Thomas  Moore  merily,  Seruaunts  attending. 
Dough.  See  where  my  father  comes,  ioyfull  and  merie. 
Moore.  As  Sea  men,  hauing  past  a  troubled  storme, 

daunce  on  the  pleasant  shoare :  So  I,  Oh  I  could  speake 

now  like  a  Poett.     Now  afore  God,  I  am  passing  light, 

wife,  giue  me  kinde  welcome,  thou  wast  wunt  to  blame 

my  kissing,  when  my  beard,  was  in  the  stubble,  ti34o 

1315  aside.]  Dyce  as  if  supplied.  1324  vpper  quier ^  Hyc^vpper-quier 

1333  leaue]  might  be  leane        pencil  cross  at  end. 


Sc.  xi]  Original  Text  (S)  45 

But,  I  haue  bin  trimde  of  late,  I  haue  had, 

a  sraoothe  Courte  shauing,  in  good  faith  I  haue,        /  daughters  kneele. 
God  blesse  ye  :  Sonne  Roper,  giue  me  your  hand. 
Ro.  your  Honor's  welcome  home. 
Moore.  Honor?  ha  ha:  And  how  doost  wife? 
Ro.  He  beares  him  selfe  moste  straungely. 
Lady,  will  your  Lordship  in  ? 
Moore.  Lordship  ?   no  wife,  that's  gon, 

the  ground  was  slight  that  we  did  leane  vppon. 
Lady.  Lord  that  your  Honor  nere  will  leaue  these  lests,  ti35o 

In  faith  it  ill  becomes  yee. 
Moore.  Oh  go(od)  wife. 

Honor  and  lests  are  bothe  together  fled,  FOL.  IS'' 

The  meriest  Councellour  of  England's  dead. 
Lady,  whose  that  my  Lord  ? 
Moore.  Still  Lord  ?  /  the  Lord  Chauncellour  wife. 
Lady.  Thats  you. 


Moore.  Certaine,  but  I  haue  chaungde  my  life. 
Am  I  not  leaner  then  I  was  before, 

the  fatt  is  gon  :  my  title's  only  Moore.  ti36o 

Contented  with  one  stile,  He  Hue  at  rest, 
they  that  haue  many  names,  are  not  still  best. 
I  haue  resignde  mine  office  :  count'st  me  not  wise  ? 
Lady.  Oh  God. 


Moore.  Come,  breed  not  female  children  in  your  eyes.  ^ 

the  King  will  haue  it  so. 
Lady,  what's  the  offence  ? 

Moore.  Tush  let  that  passe,  weele  talke  of  that  annon. 
The  King  seemes  a  Phisitian  to  my  fate, 

His  princely  minde,  would  traine  me  back  to  state.  ti3?o 

Ro.  Then  be  his  patient  my  moste  honord  father. 
Moore.  Oh  Sonne  Roper. 

[  Vbi  turpis  est  tnedicina,  sanari piget.^ 

1370  me]  e  altered  from>'  1 37 1  moste]  e  altered. 


46  Sir  Thomas  More  [Fols.  I8^  19* 

No  wife,  be  merie,  and  be  merie  all, 

you  smilde  at  rising,  weepe  not  at  my  fall. 

Let's  in,  and  heere  ioy  like  to  priuate  freends, 

since  dayes  of  pleasure  haue  repentant  ends. 

The  light  of  greatnesse  is  with  triumph  borne : 

It  sets  at  midday  oft,  with  publique  scorne.  exeunt. 

Enter  the  Bishop  oi  Rochester,  Surrey,  Shrewsburie^  Lieutenant  +1380 
of  the  Tower,  and  warders  with  weapons. 
Roches t.  Your  kinde  perswasions,  honorable  Lords, 

I  can  but  thanke  ye  for,  but  in  this  brest 

there  Hues  a  soule,  that  aimes  at  higher  things, 

then  temporarie  pleasing  earthly  Kings. 

God  blesse  his  Highnesse,  euen  with  all  my  hart, 

we  shall  meete  one  day,  though  that  now  we  part. 
Sur.  we  not  misdoubt  your  wisedome  can  disceme, 

what  best  befits :  it :  yet  in  looue  and  zeale ; 

we  could  entreate,  it  might  be  otherwise.  ti39o 

Shrew.  No  doubt  your  fatherhood  will  by  your  selfe, 

consider  better  of  the[s]  present  case, 

and  growe  as  great  in  fauour  as  before. 
Rochest.  ffor  that,  as  pleaseth  God,  in  my  restrainte 

from  worldly  causes,  I  shall  better  see 

into  my  selfe,  then  at  proude  libertie. 

The  Tower  and  I  will  priuately  conferre, 

of  things,  wherin  at  freedome,  I  may  erre. 

But  I  am  troublesome  vnto  your  Honors  ; 

and  holde  ye  longer  then  becomes  my  dutie.  ti4oo 

M'.  Lieutenant,  I  am  now  your  charge 

And  though  you  keep  my  bodie,  yet  my  looue, 

waites  on  my  King  and  you,  while  ffisher  Hues. 
Sur.  ffarewell  my  Lord  of  Rochester,  weele  pray 

for  your  release,  and  labour't  as  we  may. 

1380  Scene  xii. 

1380  Shrewsburie]  Dyce  Shrewsbury  1389  befits :  it:]  sic. 


Scs.  xi-xiii]  Original  Text  (S)  47 

Shrew.  Therof  assure  your  selfe,  so  doo  we  leaue  yee, 

And  to  your  happie  priuate  thoughts  bequeath  yee.  ex.  Lords. 

Rochest.  Now  M^  Lieutenant,  on,  a  Gods  name  goe, 
And  with  as  glad  a  minde  goe  I  with  you : 

As  euer  trewant  bad  the  schoole  adiewe.       exeunt.      tr4io 

Enter  S^  Thomas  Moore,  his  Lady,  daughters,  M^  Roper,  Gentlemen( 
and  Seruaunts,  as  in  his  house  at  Chelsey. 
Moore.  God  morrowe  good  sonne  Roper,  sit  good  Madame,  /  lowe  stooles 

vppon  an  humble  seate,  the  time  so  craues, 
rest  your  good  hart  on  earth,  the  roofe  of  graues. 
you  see  the  floore  of  greatnesse  is  vneuen, 
the  Cricket  and  high  throane  alike  neere  heauen. 
Now  daughters,  you  that  like  to  braunches  spred, 
and  giue  best  shaddowe  to  a  priuate  house  : 

Be  comforted  my  Girles,  your  hopes  stand  faire,  ti43o 

vertue  breedes  gentrie,  she  makes  the  best  heire. 
both  daugh.  God  morrow  to  your  honor. 
Moore.  Nay,  good  night  rather, 

your  honor's  creast-falne  with  your  happie  father. 
Ro.  Oh  what  formalitie,  what  square  obseruaunce : 
Hues  in  a  little  roome,  heere,  publique  care, 
gagges  not  the  eyes  of  slumber :  heere,  fierce  riott, 
ruffles  not  proudely  in  a  coate  of  trust, 
whilste  like  a  Pawne  at  Chesse,  he  keepes  in  ranck 

with  Kings  and  mightie  fellowes,  yet  indeed  tr43o 

those  men  [th(  tha)t  stand  on  tip  toe,  smile  to  see 

(  him  pawne  his  fortunes) 

Moore.  (True  sonne  FOL.  19* 

Nor  does  the  wanton  tongue  heere  skrewe  it  selfe 
into  the  eare,  that  like  a  vise,  drinkes  vp 
the  yron  instrument. 

141 1  Scene  xiii. 

1413  sit]  Dyce  Sitt  1416  vneuen,]  Dyce  uneuen  1422  both  daugh^  rather  too  high. 

1 43 1  no  doubt  the  words  those  men  were  repeated  and  deleted. 

1432  the  rule  which  presumably  marked  off  the  speech  has  disappeared. 

1433  &c.  page  covered  with  tracing  paper. 


48  Sir  Thomas  More  [Fol.  ip-* 

Lady,  we  are  heere  at  peace. 
Moore.  Then  peace  good  wife. 
Lady,  ffor  keeping  still  in  compasse,  (a  straunge  poynte 

in  times  newe  nauigation,)  we  haue  sailde  ti44o 

beyond  our  course. 
Moore,  haue  doone. 


Lady,  we  are  exilde  the  Courte. 
Moore.  Still  thou  harpste  on  that, 

Tis  sinne  for  to  deserue  that  banishment, 

but  he  that  nere  knewe  Courte  courtes  sweete  content. 
Lady.  Oh  but  deare  husband. 
Moore,  I  will  not  heare  thee  wife, 

The  winding  laborinth  of  thy  straunge  discourse, 

will  nere  haue  end.     Sit  still,  and,  my  good  wife,  ti45o 

entreate  thy  tongue  be  still :  or  credit  me, 

thou  shalt  not  vnderstand  a  woord  we  speake 

weele  talke  in  Latine. 

Humida  vallis  raros  patitur  fulminis  ictus. 

More  rest  enioyes  the  subiect  meanely  bred, 

then  he  that  beares  the  Kingdome  in  his  head. 


Great  men  are  still  Musitians,  else  the  world  lyes, 

they  learne  lowe  [noates]  straines  after  the  noates  that  rise. 


Ro.  Good  Sir,  be  still  your  selfe,  and  but  remember, 

How  in  this  generall  Courte  of  short  liu'de  pleasure  tr46o 

the  worlde,  creation  is  the  ample  foode, 

that  is  digested  in  the  mawe  of  tyme. 

If  man  him  selfe  be  subiect  to  such  ruine. 

How  shall  his  garment  then,  or  the  loose  pointes, 

that  tye  respect  vnto  his  awefull  place  : 

auoyde  distruction  ?   /  Moste  honord  father  in  lawe, 

the  blood  you  haue  bequeath'de  these  seuerall  hartes 

to  nourishe  your  posteritie,  stands  firme 

1457-8  marked  for  omission.  1457  Greai  men]  dovbtinl. 

1458  deleted  word  doubtful.        straities]  interlined.  1460  liu'de]  Dyce  liu*d 

1465  respect]  s  altered  ? 


Sc.  xiii] 


Original  Text  (S) 


49 


Moore, 


As  as  with  ioy  you  led  vs  first  to  rise 

So  with  like  harts  weele  lock  preferments  eyes. 


+1470 


Close  them  not  then  with  teares,  for  that  ostent, 

giues  a  wett  signall  of  your  discontent. 

If  you  will  share  my  fortunes,  comfort  then. 

an  hundred  smiles  for  one  sighe :  what,  we  are  men. 

Resigne  [wett]  wett  passion  to  these  weaker  eyes, 

which  prooues  their  sexe,  but  grauntes  nere  more  wise. 

Lets  now  suruaye  our  state  :  Heere  sits  my  wife, 

and  deare  esteemed  issue,  yonder  stand 

my  loouing  Seruaunts,  now  the  difference 

twixt  those  and  these.     Now  you  shall  heare  me  speake, 

like  Moore  in  melanchollie.    /  I  conceiue^  that  Nature 

hath  sundrie  mettalles,  out  of  which  she  frames 

vs  mortalles,  eche  in  valuation 

out  prizing  other.     Of  the  finest  stuffe, 

the  finest  features  come,  the  rest  of  earth, 

receiue  base  fortune  euen  before  their  birthe. 

Hence  slaues  haue  their  creation  and  I  thinke, 

Nature  prouides  content  for  the  base  minde, 

vnder  the  whip,  the  burden  and  the  toyle, 

their  lowe  wrought  bodies  drudge  in  pacience. 

As  for  the  Prince,  in  all  his  sweet  gorgde  mawe, 

and  his  ranck  fleshe  that  sinfully  renewes 

the  noones  excesse  in  the  nights  daungerous  surfeits, 

what  meanes  or  miserie  from  our  birth  dooth  flowe, 

Nature  entitles  to  vs,  that  we  owe. 

But  we  beeing  subiect  to  the  rack  of  hate, 

falling  from  happie  life  to  bondage  state 

hauing  seene  better  dayes,  now  know  the  lack 

of  glorie,  that  once  rearde  eche  high  fed  back. 


ti48o 


ti490 


1469  As  as\  sic :  Dyce  emend.  And  as  1471-1501  marked  for  omission. 

1471  a  double  cross  in  left  margin,  presumably  referring  to  fol.  6  (I). 
1475  deleted  word  doubtful.  1476  Dyce  supplies  ;/  dSitr  graunies 

1480  twixt]  ?  w  altered  from  h 

G 


so 


Sir  Thomas  More 


[FOLS.  19'' 


Catesbie. 
Moore. 


Moore. 

(     L)ady. 

Moore. 

Lady. 
Moore. 


But  that  in  your  age  did  nere  viewe  better, 

challendge  not  fFortune  for  your  thriftlesse  debter. 

Sir,  we  haue  seene  farre  better  dayes,  then  these. 

I  was  the  patrone  of  those  dayes,  and  knowe, 

those  were  but  painted  dayes,  only  for  showe, 

then  greeue  not  you  to  fall  with  him  that  gaue  them. 

Pro  hderis  generosis  seruis  gloriosum  mori. 

deare  Gough,  thou  art  my  learned  Secretarie, 

you  M^  Catesbie  Steward  of  my  house, 

the  rest  (like  you)  haue  had  fayre  time  to  growe 

in  Sun-shine  of  my  fortunes.     But  I  must  tell  ye, 

Corruption  is  fled  hence  with  eche  mans  office. 

Bribes  that  make  open  traffick  twixt  the  soule, 

and  netherland  of  Hell,  deliuer  vp 

their  guiltie  homage  to  their  second  Lordes 

then  liu(in)g  thus  vntainted,  you  (are  well 

Trueth  (is)  no  Pilot  for  the  lan(d  of  hell 

Enter  a  seruaunt 
my)  Lord,  there  are  new  lighted  at  the  gate, 
the  Earles  of  Surrie  of  Shrewesburie, 
and  they  expect  you  in  the  inner  Courte. 
Entreate  their  Lordships  come  into  the  hall. 
Oh  God,  what  newes  with  them  ? 
why  how  now  wife  ? 

They  are  but  come  to  visite  their  olde  freend. 
Oh  God,  I  feare,  I  feare. 
what  shouldst  thou  feare  fond  woman  ? 
lusium  si  fr actus  illabatur  orbis  inpauidum  feriettt  ruinx. 
Heere  let  me  Hue  estraungde  from  great  mens  lookes, 
they  are  like  golden  fflyes  on  leaden  hookes. 


ti5oo 


tisio 


FOL.  19'' 


ti5ao 


1500  Dyce  supplies  ^o«  after  But  1506-16  marked  for  omission. 

1506  Pro  hstris\  first  four  letters  doubtful ;  Pro  is  obscured  by  the  omission  mark,  and  haeris  is  rather 
faint :  Dyce  omitted  altogether  and  without  notice  :  hairis  is,  of  course,  for  eris 

15 17  &c.  page  covered  with  tracing  paper.  1518  Dyce  supplies  speaker's  name,  Ser. 

15 19  Dyce  supplies  a«<^  after  ^wmle  1521  Dyce  supplies  s.D.  £■;?•;/ 6"^r.  after  ^«//. 


Sc.  xiii]  Original  Text  (S)  51 

Enter  the  Earles,  Downes  with  his  Mace,  and  attendants.        ti53o 
Shrew.  Good  morrowe  good  S^  Thomas. 

Sur.  Good  day  good  Madame.  /  kinde  salutations. 

Moore  welcome  my  good  Lordes. 

what  ayles  your  Lordships  looke  so  melanchollie  ? 
Oh  I  knowe  you  Hue  in  Courte,  and  the  Courte  diett, 
is  only  freend  to  phisick. 
Sur.  Oh  Sir  Thomas, 

Our  woordes  are  now  the  Kings,  and  our  sad  lookes, 
the  interest  of  your  looue.    /  we  are  sent  to  you, 

from  our  milde  Soueraigne,  once  more  to  demaund,  ti54o 

If  youle  subscribe  vnto  those  Articles, 
he  sent  ye  th'other  day,  be  well  aduisde, 
ffor  on  mine  honor  Lord,  graue  doctor  ffisher 
Bishop  of  Rochester^  at  the  selfe  same  instant, 
attachte  with  you,  is  sent  vnto  the  Tower, 
for  the  like  obstinacie,  his  Maiestie, 
hath  only  sent  you  prisoner  to  your  house. 
But  if  you  now  refuse  for  to  subscribe, 
a  stricter  course  will  foUowe. 
Lady.  Oh  deare  husband.  tisso 

both  daugh.  deare  father.  /  kneeling  and  weeping. 

Moore.  See  my  Lordes, 

this  partner,  and  these  subiects  to  my  fleshe : 
prooue  rebelles  to  my  conscience  :  But  my  good  Lordes 
if  I  refuse,  must  I  vnto  the  Tower  ? 
Shrew,  you  must  my  Lord,  heere  is  an  officer, 
readie  for  to  arrest  you  of  high  treason. 
Lady  &  daugh.  Oh  God,  oh  God. 

Ro  Be  pacient  good  Madame. 
Moore.  I  Downes,  ist  thou  ?    I  once  did  saue  thy  life,  ti56o 

when  else  by  cruell  riottous  assaulte 
thou  hadst  bin  tome  in  pieces  :  thou  art  reseru'de, 
to  be  my  Sumner  to  yond  spirituall  Courte. 
Giue  me  thy  hand  good  fellowe,  smooth  thy  face, 

G  3 


52  Sir  Thomas  More  [Fols.  I9^2o' 

the  diet  that  thou  drinkst,  is  spic'de  with  mace, 

and  I  could  nere  abide  it,  twill  not  disgest, 

twill  lye  too  heauie  man,  on  my  weake  brest. 
Shrew.  Be  breefe  my  Lord,  for  we  are  limitted 

vnto  an  houre. 
Moore,  vnto  an  houre  ?  tis  well,  ti57o 

[the  bell  (earths  thunder)  soone  shall  toale  my  knell.] 
Lady.  Deare  loouing  husband,  if  you  respect  not  me, 

yet  thinke  vppon  your  daughters.  /  kneeling. 

Moore,  wife,  stand  vp,  I  haue  bethought  me, 

and  He  now  satisfye  the  Kings  good  pleasure    /  pondering  to  him  selfe. 
both  daugh.  Oh  happie  alteration. 

Shrew.  Come  then,  subscribe  my  Lord. 

Sur.  I  am  right  glad  of  this  your  fayre  conuerssion. 
Moore.  Oh  pardon  me, 

I  will  subscribe  to  goe  vnto  the  Tower,  tisSo 

with  all  submissiue  willingnes,  and  therto  add 

my  bones  to  strengthen  the  foundation 

of  Julius  Cxsars  pallace.     Now  my  Lord, 

He  satisfye  the  King,  euen  with  my  blood, 

Nor  will  I  wrong  your  pacience :  freend,  doo  thine  office. 
Dow.  Sir  Thomas  Moore,  Lord  Chauncellour  of  England,  I  arrest  you  in 

the  Kings  name  of  high  treason. 
Moore.  Gramercies,  freend,  [and  let  vs  ] 

To  a  great  prison,  to  discharge  the  strife, 

commenc'de  twixte  conscience  and  my  frailer  life  tisgo 

Moore  now  must  marche.     Chelsey,  adiewe,  adiewe, 

straunge  farewell,  thou  shalt  nere  more  see  Moore  true, 

for  I  shall  nere  see  thee  more:  Servauntes  farewell, 

wife  mar(re)  no(t)  thyne  indifferent  face,  be  (wi)se, 

M(oores  widd        hus)band,  he  must  make  thee  rise. 

1570  Moore.]  e  altered?  1574  vp,]  comma  doubtful.  1578  right]  r  altered  from^? 

1587  name]  interlined. 

1588  and  let  vs]  reading  not  quite  certain :  the  following  words  may  be  now  on 
1593  a  cross  at  end  apparently  in  modem  ink  or  pencil. 


Scs.  xiii,  xiv]  Original  Text  (S)  53 

(Daughters  wha)t's  heere  (what's)  heere  ? 

Mine  eye  had  almost  (parted)  with  a  (teare  FOL.  20* 

deare  Sonne,  possesse  my  vertue,  that  I  nere  gaue, 

graue  Moore  thus  lightly  walkes  to  a  quick  graue. 
Ro.         Curx  leues  loqtiuntur  ingentes  stupent.  ti6oo 

Moore,  you  that  way  in  minde  you  my  course  in  prayer : 

by  water  I  to  prison,  to  heauen  through  ayre.  exeunt. 

Enter  the  warders  of  the  Tower  with  Halbards. 
I.  ward.  Hoe,  make  a  guarde  there. 
1.  M^  Lieutenant  giues  a  straite  comaund, 

the  people  be  auoyded  from  the  bridge. 
3.  ffrom  whence  is  he  comitted,  who  can  tell  ? 

I.  ffrom  durham  house  I  heare. 

a.  The  Guarde  were  waitting  there  an  houre  agoe. 

3.  If  he  stay  long,  heele  not  get  neere  the  wharffe,  ti6io 

ther's  such  a  croude  of  Boates  vppon  the  Themes. 
I.  well,  be  it  spoken  with  out  offence  to  any, 

A  wiser,  or  more  vertuous  Gentleman 

was  neuer  bred  in  England, 
a.  I  thinke  the  poore  will  burie  him  in  teares. 

I  neuer  heard  a  man  since  I  was  borne, 

so  generally  bewailde  of  euery  one.  Enter  a  poore  woman. 

3.  what  meanes  this  woman  ?  whether  doost  thou  presse  ? 

I.  This  woman  will  be  trod  to  death  annon. 

a.  what  makest  thou  heere  ?  ti63o 

wo.  To  speake  with  that  good  man  Sir  Thomas  Moore. 

I.  To  speake  with  him  ?  hees  not  Lord  Chauncellour. 

wo.  The  more's  the  pittie  Sir,  if  it  plejisde  God. 

1597  &c  page  covered  with  tracing  paper. 
1603  Scene  xiv. 

1608,  1619  Dyce  is  wrong  in  stating  that  the  MS.  has  the  numeral  2  before  these  lines. 
1609  'waitiing\  Dyce  waiting 
161 1   Themes.']  Dyce  Thames  1612  /.]  Dyce  2 

1615  3.]  wrongly  altered  to  3  in  different  ink  by  a  reviser  who,  like  Dyce,  misread  the  scribe's  figures  : 
Dyce  J 

1618  J.]  Dyce  omits.  1622  /.]  Dyce  2 


54  Sir  Thomas  More  [Fols.2o».'' 

I.  Therfore  if  thou  hast  a  petition  to  deliuer, 

thou  mayst  keepe  it  now,  for  any  thing  I  knowe. 
wo.  I  am  a  poore  woman,  and  haue  had  (God  knowes,) 

a  suite  this  two  yeare  in  the  Chauncerie, 
And  he  hath  all  the  euidence  I  haue, 
which  should  I  loose,  I  am  vtterly  vndoone. 
I,  ffaith,  and  I  feare  thoult  hardly  come  by  am  now,  ti63o 

I  am  sorie  for  thee  euen  with  all  my  hart. 

Enter  the  Lords  with  Sir  Thomas  Moore,  and  attendants, 
and  enter  Lieutenant  and  Gentleman  Porter, 
a.  woman  stand  back,  you  must  auoyde  this  place, 

the  Lords  must  passe  this  way  into  the  Tower. 
Moore.  I  thanke  your  Lordships  for  your  paines  thus  farre, 
to  my  strong  house. 
wa  Now  good  Sir  Thomas  Moore,  for  Christes  deare  sake, 

deliuer  me  my  writings  back  againe, 

that  doo  concerne  my  title.  ti64o 

Moore,  what,  my  olde  client,  are  thou  got  hether  too  ? 
Poore  sillie  wretche,  I  must  confesse  indeed, 
I  had  such  writings  as  concerne  thee  neere, 
But  the  King  has  tane  the  matter  into  his  owne  hand, 
he  has  all  I  had,  then  [s]  woman  sue  to  him, 
I  cannot  help  thee,  thou  must  beare  with  me. 
wo.  Ah  gentle  hart,  my  soule  for  thee  is  sad, 

farewell  the  best  freend  that  the  poore  ere  had.   exit  woman. 

Gent.  Por.  Before  you  enter  through  the  Tower  gate, 

your  vpper  garment  Sir  belongs  to  me.  ti65o 

Moore.  Sir  you  shall  haue  it,  there  it  is.  /  he  giues  him  his  cap. 

Gent.  Por.  The  vpmoste  on  your  back  Sir,  you  mistake  me. 

1624  /.]  Dyce  2 

1630  /.]  Dyce  2  am]  a  may  have  been  altered  from  u  :  either  would  stand  for  'em  now,]  Ino 
altered  from  m 

1634  2.}  an  attempt  seems  to  have  been  made  in  different  ink  either  to  make  the  numeral  clearer  or 
else  to  cross  it  out  (on  the  erroneous  supposition  that  it  repeated  that  in  ti629),  it  is  impossible  to  be  sure 
which :  Dyce  omits. 

1641  are]  sic. 


Scs.  xiv,  xv]  Original  Text  (S)  55 

Moore.  Sir,  now  I  vnderstand  ye  very  well 
but  that  you  name  my  back, 
Sure  else  my  Cap  had  bin  the  vppermoste. 
Shrew,  ffarewell  kinde  Lord,  God  send  vs  merie  meeting. 
Moore.  Amen  my  Lord. 

Sur.  ffarewell  deare  freend,  I  hope  your  safe  retume. 
Moore.  My  Lord,  and  my  [moste]  deare  fellowe  in  the  Muses 

ffarewell,  farewell  moste  noble  Poett.  ti66o 

Lieu.  Adewe  moste  honord  Lords.  ex.  Lords 

Moore,  ffayre  prison,  welcome,  yet  me  thinkes, 

for  thy  fayre  building,  tis  too  foule  a  name. 

Many  a  guiltie  soule,  and  many  an  innocent, 

haue  breathde  their  farewell  to  thy  hollowe  roomes. 

I  oft  haue  entred  into  thee  this  way, 

yet  I  thanke  God,  nere  with  a  clearer  conscience 

then  at  this  houre. 

This  is  my  comforte  yet,  how  hard  so  ere 

my  lodging  prooue,  the  crye  of  the  poore  suter,  ti67o 

fatherlesse  Orphane  or  distressed  widdowe, 

shall  not  distube  me  in  my  quiet  sleepe. 

On  then  a  Gods  name  to  our  cloa(s)e  aboade : 

God  is  as  s(trong  heere  as  he  is  abroade  exeu)nt 

Enter  Butler,  (Brewer),  Porter,  and  horssekeper,  (seuerall  wayes      FOL.  20'' 
(         But).  Robin  Brewer,  how  now  man  ?  what  cheere,  what  cheere  ? 

Brew,  ffaith  Ned  Butler,  sick  of  thy  disease,  and  these  our  other  fellowes  heere< 

Rafe  Horssekeeper  and  Gyles  Porter,  sad,  sad,  they  say  my  Lord  goes  to  his 
triall  to  day. 
Horss.  To  it  man  ?  why  he  is  now  at  it,  God  send  [it]  him  well  to  speed.  ti68o 

Por.  Amen,  euen  as  I  wishe  to  mine  owne  soule,  so  speed  it  with  my  honorable 

Lord  and  Maister  Sir  Thomas  Moore. 
But.  I  cannot  tell,  I  haue  no  thing  to  doo  with  matters  abooue  my  capacitie, 

1653  vndersiand]  Dyce  understand        very]  v  altered  from  w? 

1658  retume.]  n  altered.  1672  distube]  sic,  for  disturbe,  which  Dyce  prints. 

1675  Scene  xv. 

1677  Butler,]  r  altered. 


56  Sir  Thomas  More  [Fol.  20** 

but  as  God  iudge  me,  if  I  might  speake  my  minde,  I  thinke  there  Hues  not 

a  more  harmelesse  Gentleman  in  the  vniuersall  worlde. 

Brew.  Nor  a  wiser,  nor  a  merier,  nor  an  honester,  goe  too,  He  put  that  in  vppon 

mine  owne  knowledge. 

Por.  Nay,  and  ye  bate  him  his  due  of  his  housekeeping,  hang  ye  all,  ye  haue  man(y 

Lord  Chauncellours  comes  in  debt  at  the  yeares  end,  and  for  very  house( 

keeping  ?  ti69o 

horsse.  well,  he  was  too  good  a  Lord  for  vs,  and  therfore  (I  feare)  God  him  selfe  wil(l 

take  him :  but  He  be  hangd  if  euer  I  haue  such  an  other  seruice. 
Brew.  Soft  man,  we  are  not  dischargde  yet,  my  Lord  may  come  home  againe/ 
and  all  will  be  well. 
But.  I  much  mistrust  it,  when  they  goe  to  rayning  once,  ther's  euer  foule  weather( 
Ent.  Gough  &  Cateshie  for  a  great  while  after.     But  soft,  heere  comes  M^  Gough  and  Maister 
with  a  paper.  Catesbie,  now  we  shall  heare  more. 

horss.  Before  God  they  are  very  sad,  I  doubt  my  Lord  is  condemnde.  1 

Por.  God  blesse  his  soule,  and  a  figge  then  for  all  worldly  condemnation. 
Gough.  well  sayd  Gyles  Porter,  I  commend  thee  for  it,  fiyoo" 

twas  spoken  like  a  well  affected  Seruaunte, 
of  him  that  was  a  kinde  Lord  to  vs  all. 
Gate,  which  now  no  more  he  shall  be,  for  deare  fellowes, 
now  we  are  maisterlesse,  though  he  may  Hue, 
so  long  as  please  the  King :  but  lawe  hath  made  him, 
a  dead  man  to  the  world,  and  giuen  the  Axe  his  head, 
but  his  sweete  soule  to  Hue  among  the  Saintes. 
Gough.  Let  vs  entreate  ye,  to  goe  call  together, 

the  rest  of  your  sad  fellowes :  by  the  Roule, 

y'are  iust  seauen  score,  and  tell  them  what  ye  heare  ti7i« 

a  vertuous  honorable  Lord  hath  doone, 

euen  for  the  meanest  follower  that  he  had. 

This  writing  found  my  Ladie  in  his  studie 

this  instant  morning,  wherin  is  set  downe 

eche  seruaunts  name,  according  to  his  place, 

and  office  in  the  house.     On  euery  man, 

1697  pencil  cross  at  end.  l^oo  sqycf]  Dyce  sat'd        Gyles]  Dyce  Giles 


ks.  XV,  xvi]  Original  Text  (S)  57 

he  franckly  hath  bestowne  twentie  Nobles 

the  best  and  wurst  together,  all  alike, 

which  M^  Catesbie  heere  foorth  will  pay  ye. 
Cate.  Take  it,  as  it  is  meante,  a  kinde  remembraunce,  ti7ao 

of  a  farre  kinder  Lord,  with  whose  sad  fall, 

he  giues  vp  house,  and  farewell  to  vs  all. 

Thus  the  fayre  spreading  Oake  falles  not  alone, 

but  all  the  neighbour  plants  and  vnder  trees  : 

are  crusht  downe  with  his  weight.     No  more  of  this, 

Come  and  receiue  your  due,  and  after  goe, 

ffellow-like  hence,  copartners  of  one  woe. exeunt. 

Enter  Sir  Thomas  Moore,  the  Lieutenant,  and  a  seruaunt  attending 
as  in  his  chamber  in  the  Tower. 
Moore.  M^  Lieutenant,  is  the  warrant  come,  ti73o 

If  it  be  so,  a  Gods  name,  let  vs  [see]  knowe  it. 
Lieu.  My  Lord,  it  is. 
Moore.  Tis  welcome  Sir  to  me,  with  all  my  hart, 

his  blessed  will  be  doone. 
Lieti.  Your  wisedome  Sir,  hath  bin  so  well  approou'de, 

And  your  fayre  pacience  in  imprisonment, 

hath  euer  shewne  such  constancie  of  minde, 

and  christian  resolution  in  all  troubles  : 

As  warrants  vs,  you  are  not  vnpreparde. 
Moore.  No  M^  Lieutenant,  I  thanke  my  God,  ti74o 

I  haue  peace  of  conscience,  though  the  world  and  I , 

are  at  a  little  oddes :  But  weele  be  euen  now  I  hope, 

ere  long :  when  is  the  execution  of  your  warrant  ? 
Lieu.  To  morrowe  morning. 
Moore.  So  Sir,  I  thanke  ye, 

I  haue  not  liu'de  so  ill,  I  feare  to  dye. 

M"'.  Lieutenant,  I  haue  had  a  sore  fitt  of  the  stone  to  night, 

But,  the  King  hath  sent  me  such  a  rare  receipte 

1722  to'\  o  altered  or  touched  up.  1725  weight. '\  period  doubtful. 

1728  Scene  xvi. 

1739  warrants]  Dyce  warrante 

H 


58  Sir  Thomas  More  [Fols.  2o^2I* 

I  thank  him,  as  I  shall  not  need  to  feare  it  much. 
Lieu.  In  life  and  death,  still  merie  S"^.  Thomas  Moore.  ti75o 

Moore.  Sirra  fellowe,  (reache  me  the  vrina)ll,  /  hee  giues  it  him. 

ha,  let  me  see,  (  grauell  in  the  water) 

(  FOL.  21* 

(  )  T(he)  man  were  likely  to  liue  long  enough( 

So  pleasde  the  King :  /  heere  fellowe,  take  it. 
Ser.  Shall  I  goe  with  it  to  the  doctor  Sir  ? 
Moore.  No,  saue  thy  labour,  weele  cossen  him  of  a  fee, 

Thou  shalt  see  me  take  a  dramme  to  morrowe  morning, 
shall  cure  the  stone  I  warrant,  doubt  it  not. 

M^  Lieutenant,  what  newes  of  my  Lord  of  Rochester!  tiyfo 

Lieu,  yesterday  morning  was  he  put  to  death. 
Moore.  The  peace  of  soule  sleepe  with  him, 

he  was  a  learned  and  a  reuerend  Prelate, 
and  a  riche  man  beleeue  me. 
Lieu.  If  he  were  riche,  what  is  S^  Thomas  Moore, 

that  all  this  while  hath  bin  [        ]  Lord  Chauncellour  ? 
Moore.  Say  ye  so  M^  Lieutenant  ?  what  doo  you  thinke, 
a  man  that  with  my  time  had  held  my  place : 
might  purchase  ? 
Lieu.  Perhaps  my  Lord,  two  thousand  pound  a  yeare.  ti77o 

Moore.  M''.  Lieutenant,  I  protest  to  you, 

I  neuer  had  the  meanes  in  all  my  life 
to  purchase  one  poore  hundred  pound  a  yeare. 
I  thinke  I  am  the  poorest  Chauncellour 
that  euer  was  in  England,  though  I  could  wishe, 
for  credit  of  the  place,  that  my  estate  were  better. 
Lieu.  Its  very  straunge. 
Moore.  It  will  be  found  as  true. 

I  thinke  Sir,  that  with  moste  parte  of  my  coyne, 

1 75 1  hee\  ee  altered  from  is 

1753  Dyce  indicates  the  loss  of  a  line;  this  must  have  happened  at  the  top  of  fol.  2i'forti75i 
is  clearly  the  last  on  fol.  20''. 

1766  the  first  deleted  letter  seems  to  be  / or  ^,  the  last/  or  possibly  h 


Scxvi]  Original  Text  (S)  59 

I  haue  purchased  as  straunge  comodities,  ti  780 

as  euer  you  heard  tell  of  in  your  life. 
Lieu.  Commodities  my  Lord  ? 

might  I  (with  out  ofifence)  enquire  of  them  ? 
Moore.  Croutches  (M""  Lieutenant)  and  bare  cloakes. 

ffor  halting  Soldiours,  and  poore  needie  SchoUers, 

haue  had  my  gettings  in  the  Chauncerie. 

To  thinke  but  what  acheate  the  crowne  shall  haue, 

by  my  attaindour.     I  pre  thee,  if  thou  beest  a  Gentleman, 

get  but  a  copie  of  my  Inuentorie. 

That  parte  of  Poett  that  was  giuen  me,  ti^go 

made  me  a  very  vnthrift. 

ffor  this  is  the  disease  attends  vs  all, 

Poets  were  neuer  thriftie,  neuer  shall.  /  Enter  Lady  Moore  mour( 

Lieu.  Oh  noble  Moore.  iiing,  daughters,  M^  Roper( 

My  Lord,  your  wife,  your  sonne  in  lawe,  and  daughters. 
Moore.  Sonne  Roper,  welcome,  welcome  wife  and  Girles. 

why  doo  you  weepe  ?  because  I  Hue  at  ease  ? 

did  you  not  see,  when  I  was  Chauncellour, 

I  was  so  cloyde  with  suters  euery  houre, 

I  could  not  sleepe,  nor  dine,  nor  suppe  in  quiet.  tiSoo 

Heer's  none  of  this,  heere  I  can  sit  and  talke, 

with  my  honest  Keeper  halfe  a  day  together 

laugh  and  be  merie,  why  then  should  you  weepe  ? 
Ro.  These  teares  my  Lord  for  this  your  long  restraint 

hope  had  dried  vp,  with  comfort  that  we  yet, 

although  imprisond,  might  haue  had  your  life. 
Moore.  To  liue  in  prison,  what  a  life  were  that  ? 

The  King  (I  thanke  him)  looues  me  more  then  so. 

To  morrowe  I  shall  be  at  libertie, 

to  goe  euen  whether  I  can,  tiSio 

after  I  haue  dispachte  my  busines. 
Lady.  Ah  husband,  husband,  yet  submit  your  selfe, 

1787  acheate\  or  a  cheate  (Dyce) ;  either  is  a  possible  reading.  1799  cloyde]  Dyce  clogde 

H  2 


6o  Sir  Thomas  More  [Fols.  21^''' 

haue  care  of  your  poore  wife  and  children 
Moore,  wife,  so  I  haue,  and  I  doo  leaue  you  all, 

to  his  protection,  hath  the  power  to  keepe 

you,  safer  then  I  can, 

the  father  of  the  widdowe  and  the  Orphane. 
Ro.  The  world  (my  Lord)  hath  euer  held  you  wise, 

And't  shall  be  no  distaste  vnto  your  wisedome  : 

to  yeeld  to  the  oppinion  of  the  state.  ti82o 

Moore.  I  haue  deceiu'de  my  selfe,  I  must  acknowledge  ; 

and  as  you  say  Sonne  Roper,  to  confesse  the  same : 

it  will  be  no  disparagement  at  all. 
Lady.  His  Highnesse  shall  be  certefyed  therof,  immediatly.      /  offring  to  depar(t 
Moore.  Nay  heare  me  wife,  first  let  me  tell  ye  how, 

I  [had]  thought  to  haue  had  a  Barber  for  my  beard, 

now  I  remember,  that  were  labour  lost, 

the  headsman  now  shall  cut  off  head  and  all. 
Ro.  wife,  ffather,  (h)is  Maiestie  vppon  your  meeke  submission, 

will  yet  (they  say)  receiue  (you  to  his)  grace :  tiSso 

(  )  in  as  gre(at  credit  as  you  were  before 

Moore  )g,  FOL.  21'' 

has  appoynted  me  to  doo  a  little  busines. 

If  that  were  past,  my  Girle  thou  then  shouldst  see, 

what  I  would  say  to  him  about  that  matter. 

But  I  shall  be  so  busie  vntill  then : 

I  shall  not  tend  it. 
daugh.  Ah  my  deare  father. 
Lady,  deare  Lord  and  husband. 

1824  cettefyed\y  ?i\\.ex^^'.  Dyce  certefied        offring]  Dyce  Offering 

1826  the  second  deleted  letter  is  doubtful.        haue  had  d\  had  interlined. 

1828-9  the  words  head  and  meeke  are  damaged  in  the  MS.  by  an  injury  which  does  not  appear  in  the 
facsimile. 

1829-30  the  greater  part  of  the  words  Maiestie  vppon  and  say)  receiue  has  disappeared  from  the  MS. 
owing  to  an  injury  which  in  the  facsimile  has  only  somewhat  damaged  vppon  and  receiue 

1830  grace:]  the  e:  still  visible  in  the  facsimile  has  disappeared  from  the  MS. 

1832  Dyce  only  prints  the  speaker's  name  in  this  line :  this  has  now  disappeared,  but  the  second  half 
line  probably  reads  wench,   faith,  my  Lord  the  King,  though  the  last  letter  alone  is  quite  certain.  ■ 


Scs.  xvi,  xvii]  Original  Text  (S)  6i 

Moore.  Be  comforted  good  wife,  to  Hue  and  looue  my  children,  tiS^o 

for  with  thee  leaue  I  all  my  care  of  them. 
Sonne  Roper,  for  my  sake,  that  haue  loou'de  thee  well, 
And  for  her  vertues  sake,  cherishe  my  childe. 
Girle,  be  not  proude,  but  of  thy  husbands  looue, 
Euer  retaine  thy  vertuous  modestie. 
That  modestie  is  such  a  comely  garment, 
as  it  is  neuer  out  of  fashis :  sits  as  faire, 
vppon  the  meaner  woman,  as  the  Empresse. 
No  stuffe  that  golde  can  buye,  is  halfe  so  riche, 

Nor  ornament  that  so  becomes  a  woman.  tiSjo 

Liue  all,  and  looue  together,  and  therby, 
you  giue  your  father  a  riche  Obsequye. 
both  daugh.  your  blessing  deare  father. 

Moore.  I  must  be  gon,  (God  blesse  you,) 

to  talke  with  God,  who  now  dooth  call. 
Lady,  A  my  deare  husband, 
Moore.  Sweet  wife,  good  night,  good  night, 
God  send  vs  all  his  euerlasting  light. 
Ro.  I  thinke  before  this  houre, 

More  heauie  harts  nere  parted  in  the  Tower.  exeunt. 

Enter  the  Sheriffes  of  London  and  their  Officers  at  one  doore,  the 
warders  with  their  Halbards  at  an  other.  ti863 

I.  Sher.  Officers,  what  time  of  day  ist? 

Offi.  Almoste  eight  a  clock 
%.  Sher.  we  must  make  then,  least  we  stay  to  long. 
I.  Ward.  Good  morrowe  M^  Shreeues  of  London,  M^  Lieutenant, 
willes  ye  repaire  to  the  limits  of  the  Tower 
there  to  receiue  your  prisoner. 
I.  Sher.  Goe  back,  and  tell  his  woorship,  we  are  readie. 

1847  fashis  .•]  sic,  the  draft  from  which  the  scribe  copied  must  have  ha.d/(isAtJ:  Dyce  tmtnd. /asAioH 
si/s]  Dyceyf/j  (the  sense  being  the  same). 
1861  Scene  xvii. 

1863  /.]  Dyce  2  1865  Dyce  supplies  kasie  after  make  1866  /.]  Dyce  2 

1869  Dyce  is  wrong  in  stating  that  the  MS.  reads  2  Sher. 


62  Sir  Thomas  More  [Fols.  2I^22» 

2.  Sher.  Goe  bid  the  Officers  make  cleare  the  way,  tiSyo 

there  may  be  passage  for  the  prisoner. 

Enter  Lieutenant  and  his  Guarde  with  Moore. 
Moore,  yet  God  be  thanked,  heer's  a  faire  day  toward, 

to  take  our  iourney  in  :  M^  Lieutenant, 

It  were  faire  walking  on  the  Tower  leades. 
Lieu.  And  so  it  might  haue  likte  my  Soueraigne  Lord, 

I  would  to  God  you  might  haue  walkte  there  still.      /  he  weepes 
Moore.  Sir,  we  are  walking  to  a  better  place. 

Oh  Sir,  your  kinde  and  loouing  teares, 

are  like  sweete  odours  to  embalme  your  freend.  ti88o 

Thanke  your  good  Lady,  since  I  was  your  guest. 

She  has  made  me  a  very  wanton  in  good  sooth. 
Lieu.  Oh  I  had  hopte  we  should  not  yet  haue  parted. 
Moore.  But  I  must  leaue  ye  for  a  little  whyle, 

within  an  houre  or  two,  you  may  looke  for  me. 

But  there  will  be  so  many  come  to  see  me, 

that  I  shall  be  so  proude,  I  will  not  speake. 

And  sure  my  memorie  is  growne  so  ill, 

I  feare  I  shall  forget  my  head  behinde  me. 
Lieu.  God  and  his  blessed  Angelles  be  about  ye,  tiSgo 

heere  M'.  Shreeues,  receiue  your  prisoner. 
Moore  Good  morrowe  M"^-  Shreeues  of  London  to  ye  bothe, 

I  thanke  ye  that  ye  will  vouch  safe  to  meete  me, 

I  see  by  this  you  haue  not  quite  forgot, 

that  I  was  in  times  past  as  you  are  now  ; 

a  Sheriffe  of  London. 
I.  Sher.  Sir,  then  you  knowe  our  dutie  dooth  require  it. 
Moore.  I  knowe  it  well  Sir,  else,  I  would  haue  bin  glad, 

you  might  haue  sau'de  a  labour  at  this  time. 

Ah  M^  Sheriffe,  you  and  I  haue  bin  of  olde  acquaintaunce,  trgoo 

you  were  a  pacient  Auditor  of  mine, 

when  I  read  the  diuinitie  lecture  at  S'.  Lauraunces. 

1884  TvhyU,]  Dyce  while  1 897  /.]  Dyce  2 


5c.  xvii]  Original  Text  (S)  63 


a.  Sher.  S'.  Thomas  Moore,  I  haue  heard  you  oft,  as  many  other  did, 

to  our  great  comforte. 
Moore.  Pray  God  you  may  so  now,  with  all  my  hart. 

And  as  I  call  to  minde, 

when  I  studyed  the  lawe  in  Lincolnes  Inne, 

I  was  of  Councell  (w)ith  ye  in  a  cause. 
\         )Sher.  I  (was  abou)t  t(o  say  so  good  sir  thomas 

;  FOL.  22* 

Moore.  Oh,  is  th(is)  the  place  ?  ti9" 

I  promise  ye  it  is  a  goodly  Scaffolde. 

In  sooth,  I  am  come  about  a  headlesse  arrand, 

fifor  I  haue  not  much  to  say,  now  I  am  heere. 

well,  let's  ascend  a  Gods  name 

In  troth  me  thinkes  your  stayre  is  somewhat  weake, 

I  pre  thee  honest  freend,  lend  me  thy  hand, 

to  help  me  vp :  As  for  my  comming  downe, 

let  me  alone,  He  looke  to  that  my  selfe.  ti9i9 

As  he  is  going  vp  the  stayres,  enters  the  Earles  of  Surrye  &  Shre{wsburie 
Moore.  My  Lords  of  Surrey  and  of  Shrewesburie,  giue  me  your  hands  yet  before  w(e 

ye  see,  though  it  pleaseth  the  King  to  raise  me  thus  high,  yet  I  am  not  p< 

for  the  higher  I  mounte,  the  better  I  can  see  my  freends  about  me.  I  am  no(w 

farre  voyage,  and  this  straunge  woodden  horsse  must  beare  me  thether :  yet  I( 

ceiue  by  your  lookes  you  like  my  bargaine  so  ill,  that  ther's  not  one  of  ye  all  d(are 
walking.        venter  with  me.   Truely  heers  a  moste  sweet  Gallerie,  I  like  the  ayre  of  it  bett(er 

then  my  Garden  at  Chelsey.  By  your  pacience  good  people,  that  haue  prest  th(us 

into  my  bed  chamber :  if  youle  not  trouble  me,  He  take  a  sound  sleepe  heere. 

1903  Moore^  comma  doubtful. 

1906-7  in  the  MS.  to  minde,  and  studyed  the  are  damaged  by  an  injury  which  does  not  appear  in  the 
facsimile. 

1907-8  in  the  MS.  from  the  e  of  lawe  to  the  first  n  of  Inne  is  damaged  and  from  the  h  of  with  to  the 
^J  of  cause  almost  wholly  destroyed  by  an  injury  which  in  the  facsimile  has  only  damaged  lawe  in  and  ye 
and  Inne 

1909  Dyce  has  2  Sher.  which  seems  probable,  but  his  readings  of  numerals  are  not  to  be  trusted. 
■was  adout]  badly  damaged. 

1910  a  few  traces  of  descenders  are  visible,  but  nothing  consecutive  can  be  made  out. 
1922  Dyce  supplies  roud  after^  1923  Dyce  supplies  on  a  after  now 

1924  Dyce  supplies  /per  aiteryet,  but  the  /  is  visible. 


64 


Sir  Thomas  More 


[FOL.  22" 


Shrew, 
Moore. 


My  Lord,  twere  good  you'ld  publishe  to  the  worlde, 
your  great  offence  vnto  his  maiestie. 


ti93o 

I  con- 


giues  him 
his  gowne. 


Sur. 

Moore. 
[by  the  hangman.] 
Hang. 
Moore. 
Hang. 
Moore 

his  pursse. 


Hang. 
Moore. 


Hang. 
Moore. 


My  Lord,  He  bequeathe  this  legacie  to  the  hangman,  and  doo  it  instantly 

fesse  his  maiestie  hath  bin  euer  good  to  me,  and  my  offence  to  his  highnesse,  make(s 

me  of  a  state  pleader,  a  stage  player,  (though  I  am  olde,  and  haue  a  bad  voyce)t(o 

act  this  last  Sceane  of  my  tragedie.    He  send  him  (for  my  trespasse)  a  reueren(d 

head,  somewhat  balde,  for  it  is  not  requisite  any  head  should  stand  couerd  to  so 

high  maiestie.    If  that  content  him  not,  because  I  thinke  my  bodie  will  then  do(o 

me  small  pleasure,  let  him  but  burie  it,  and  take  it. 

My  Lord,  my  Lord,  holde  conference  with  your  soule, 

you  see  my  Lord,  the  time  of  life  is  short. 

I  see  it  my  good  Lord :  I  dispachte  that  busines  the  last  night,  I  come  hether  onl 

to  be  let  blood,  my  doctor  heere  telles  me  it  is  good  for  the  head  ache.      fig^ 

I  beseeche  ye  my  Lord  forgiue  me. 

fforgiue  thee  honest  fellowe  ?  why  ? 

ffor  your  death  my  Lord. 

O,  my  death  ?  I  had  rather  it  were  in  thy  power  to  forgiue  me,  for  thou  hast  the 

sharpest  action  against  me,  the  lawe  (my  honest  freend)  lyes  in  thy  hands  now. 

Heers  thy  fee,  and  my  good  fellowe,  let  my  suite  be  dispachte  presently :  for  tis 

all  one  payne  to  dye  a  lingering  death,  and  to  Hue  in  the  continuall  mill  of< 

a  lawe-suite.     But  I  can  tell  thee,  my  neck  is  so  short,  that  if  thou  shoulds(t 

behead  an  hundred  noble  men  like  my  selfe,  thou  wouldst  nere  get  credit  by  it 

Therefore  (looke  ye  Sir)  doo  it  hansomely,  or  of  my  woord  thou  shalt  neuei 

deale  with  me  heerafter.  ti95: 

He  take  an  order  for  that  my  Lord. 

One  thing  more,  take  heed  thou  cutst  not  off  my  beard :  Oh,  I  forgot,  execution* 

past  vppon  that  last  night,  and  the  bodie  of  it  lies  buried  in  the  Tower. 

Come,  let's  to  the  block. 

My  Lord,  I  pray  ye  put  off  your  doublet. 

No  my  good  freend,  I  haue  a  great  colde  alreadie,  and  I  would  be  lothe  to  tak* 

more,  point  me  meete  the  block,  for  I  was  nere  heere  before 


Hang.  To  the  Easte  side  my  Lord. 

1932  highnesse]  interlined  above  maiestie  crossed  out.  1940  dispachte]  Dyce  dispcUchte 

1941  the  side  note  is  crossed  out  in  darker  ink.  1944  pencil  cross  at  end. 

1947  Heers]  Dyce  hers  1656-64  marked  for  omission  and  crossed  out. 


c.  xvii]  Original  Text  (S)  65 

Moore.  Then  to  the  Easte, 

we  goe  to  sighe,  that  ore,  to  sleep  in  rest. 

No  eye  salute  my  trunck  with  a  sad  teare, 

Our  birth  to  heauen  should  be  thus  ;  voyde  of  feare.    exit. 

Stay,  ist  not  possible  to  make  a  scape  from  all  this  strong  guarde  ?  it  is 

There  is  a  thing  within  me,  that  will  raise 

and  eleuate  my  better  parte  boue  sight 

of  these  same  weaker  eyes.     And  M^  Shreeues, 

for  all  this  troupe  of  Steele  that  tends  my  death, 

I  shall  breake  from  you,  and  flye  vp  to  heauen,  +»97o 

Lets  seeke  the  meanes  for  this. 
Hang,  My  Lord,  I  pray  ye  put  off  your  doublet. 
Moore.  Speake  not  so  coldely  to  me,  I  am  hoarse  alreadie, 

I  would  be  lothe  good  fellowe  to  take  more, 

Point  me  the  block,  I  nere  was  heere  before. 
Hang.  To  the  Easte  side  my  Lord. 
Moore.  Then  to  the  Easte, 

we  goe  to  sigh,  that  ore,  to  sleepe  in  rest 

Heere  Moore  forsakes  all  mirthe,  good  reason  why, 

the  foole  of  fleshe  must  with  her  fraile  life  dye.  11980 

No  eye  salute  my  trunck  with  a  sad  teare. 

Our  birthe  to  heauen  should  be  thus  :  voide  of  feare.  exit. 

Sur.  A  very  learned  woorthie  Gentleman 

Scales  errour  with  his  blood.     Come,  weele  to  Courte. 

Lets  sadly  hence  to  perfect  vnknowne  fates, 

whilste  he  tends  prograce  to  the  state  of  states. 

ffinis. 


1967  defter]  b  altered  from/  1982  Dyce  supplies  tvith  Hangman,  &»€.  after  exit 

1984  weele]  w  altered  from  /  ?  1985  vnknowne]  no  altered. 

1986  whilste]  i  altered,  perhaps  in  darker  ink.  1987  Fol.  22''  blank. 


66 


Sir  Thomas  More 


[FoL.  6' 


Moore  Now  will  I  speake  like  Moore  in  melancholy 

ffor  if  greefes  power  could  w*^  her  sharpest  darts 

pierce  my  firme  bosome  ;  heres  sufficient  cause 

to  take  my  farewell  of  mirths  hurtles  iawes. 

Poore  humbled  Lady,  thou  that  wert  of  late 

placde  w'^  the  noblest  women  of  the  land 

Invited  to  their  angell  companies 

seeming  a  bright  Starre  in  the  [heauen  of]  Courtly  Sphere 

why  shouldst  thou  like  a  widow  sit  thus  low 

and  all  thy  faire  consorts  [shun]  moove  from  the  clowds 

that  ouerdreep  thy  beautie  and  thy  worth 

He  tell  thee  the  true  cause,  the  Court  like  heauen 

examines  not  the  anger  of  the  [king ;]  Prince 

and  being  more  fraile  composde  of  guilded  earth 

shines  vpon  them  on  whom  the  [Prince]  king  doth  shine 

smiles  if  he  smile,  declines  if  he  decline 

Yet  seeing  both  are  mortall  Court  and  king 

shed  not  one  teare  for  any  earthly  thing 


FOL.  6» 


ffor  so  God  pdon  me  in  my  saddest  hower 

thou  hast  no  more  occasion  to  lament 

nor  these,  nor  those,  my  exile  from  the  court 

no  nor  [my  mortall  d]  this  bodyes  tortur  wert  imposde 

as  commonly  disgraes  of  great  men 

are  the  forewarnings  of  a  hastie  death 

[Beleeue  me]  than  to  behold  me  after  many  a  toyle 

honord  w'**  endlesse  rest.     Perchance  the  king 


Addition  I. 

This  insertion  has  not  been  properly  fitted  into  its  context  and  appears  in  quite  a  wrong  part  of  the 
MS.  It  clearly  belongs  to  sc.  xiii,  where  it  is  presumably  intended  to  replace  tl47l-l5l6,  on  fol.  19",  which 
(except  1 1 502-5)  are  marked  for  omission  and  preceded  by  a  reference  sign. 

1-7 1  in  hand  A,  not  found  elsewhere. 

I  like  Moore  in]  Moore  interlined :  Dyce  like  man  in  2  if]  interlined. 

4  tawes.]  the  cross  to  the  /  may  be  accidental.  5-18  marked  for  omission. 

7  Invited]  v  altered  from  u  lo  shun]  un  doubtful,  possibly  ou        moove]  v  altered  from  u 

12  thee  the]  the  interlined.  14  more]  interlined. 

15  on]o  altered  from  v        king]  interlined.  19  in]  interlined.  22  wert]  t  altered  from  e 

23  disgraes]  sic,  for  disgraces,  which  Dyce  prints. 


Sc.xiii]  Addition  I  (B)  67 

seeing  the  Court  is  full  of  vanitie 

has  pittie  least  our  soules  shuld  be  misled 

and  sends  vs  to  a  life  contemplatiue. 

O  happy  banishment  from  worldly  pride  30 

when  soules  by  priuate  life  are  sanctifide 
wife :  O  but  I  feare  some  plot  against  [hi]  your  life 
Moore :  why  then  tis  thus  ;  the  king  of  his  high  grace 

seeing  my  faithfull  seruice  to  his  state 

intends  to  send  me  to  the  king  of  heauen 

for  a  rich  present :  where  [if  soules]  my  soule  shall  proue 

a  true  remembrer  of  his  majestie. 

Come  pre  thee  mourne  [,  since]  not :  the  worst  chance  is  death 

and  that  brings  endlesse  joy  for  fickle  breath./ 
wife:  Ah  but  your  children.  40 

Moore :  Tush  let  them  alone,  say  they  be  stript  from  this  poore  painted  cl(oth 

this  outside  of  the  earth  ;  [what  haue  they]  left  houselesse,  bare 

they  haue  mindes  instructed  how  to  gather  more 

there's  no  man  thats  ingenuous  can  be  poore. 

And  therefore  doo  not  weep  my  little  ones 

though  [all]  you  loose  all  the  earth ;  keep  your  soules  eeuen 

and  you  shall  finde  inheritance  in  heauen. 

But  for  my  seruants  theres  my  cheefest  care 

[In  you  I]  Come  hether  faithfull  Steward  be  not  greeude 

that  in  thy  pson  I  discharge  both  thee  50 

and  all  thy  other  ffellow  Officers 

ffor  my  great  Master  hath  discharged  mee. 

[So  for  the  rest,  my  Gentlemen  and  y] 

If  thou  by  seruing  me  hast  sufferd  losse 

28  soules  shuld]  sic.  32  deleted  letters  doubtful.  37  majestu.]  sic. 

39  bringsl  the  scribe  wrote  breeds  and  then  altered  eed  to  ing  thus  making  the  word  into  brings  but 
left  the  reading  rather  doubtful.  Another  hand,  using  blacker  ink,  then  interlined  another  brings  and 
appears  to  have  made  an  unsuccessful  attempt  to  cross  out  the  original  reading.  The  interlined  brings  has 
probably  been  gone  over  a  second  time  with  thicker  ink  of  the  same  colour  and  a  very  scratchy  pen. 

joy]  sic 

44  therms]  Dyce  Theres  46  eeuen]  sic.  52  great]  g  altered- 

53-61  marked  for  omission. 

I  2 


68  Sir  Thomas  More  [Fols.  6»,  7* 

then  benefit  thy  selfe  by  leauing  mee. 

I  hope  thou  hast  not :  for  such  times  as  theese  ^ 

bring  gaine  to  Officers  who  euer  leese  ' ' 

Great  Lords  haue  onely  name ;  but  in  the[ir]  fall 

[       ]  Lord  Spend-alls  Stuart's  master  gathers  all 

But  I  suspect  not  thee  admit  thou  hast  •  60 

Its  good  the  seruants  saue  when  Masters  wast./ 

But  you  poore  Gentlemen  that  had  no  place 

t'inrich  your  selues  but  by  loathd  briberie 

w<=^  I  abhord,  and  neuer  found  you  loude  i' 

thinke  when  an  oake  fals  vnderwood  shrinkes  downe 

and  yet  may  Hue  though  brusd,  I  pray  ye  striue 

to  shun  my  ruin  for  the  ax  is  set  '^ 

euen  at  my  root  to  fell  me  to  the  ground. 

the  best  I  can  doo  to  prefer  you  all  [w'] 

w'''  my  meane  store  expect,  for  heauen  can  tell  70 

that  Moore  loues  all  his  followers  more  than  well./ 

^Efid  of  Addition  /.] 

55  Z**^]  J  altered  from  <f^  56  not\  interlined. 

59  something  at  the  beginning  of  the  line  has  been  crossed  out,  first  by  the  scribe  and  again  later  in  black  ink, 
gathers]  s  inserted  in  black  ink. 

61  good]  od  altered  from  d  63  your\y  altered. 

65-71  written  up  the  left  margin  with  a  reference  mark. 

66  though]  g  inserted  partly  covering  u  71  Moore]  second  0  altered  from  r 

Fol.  e^  blank. 


xiii,  iv]  Additions  I  and  II  (A,  B)  69 

clo  come  come  wele  tickle  ther  turnips  wele  bu(tter  ther)  boxes  FOL,  7* 

shall  strangers  Rule  the  Roste  [yes]  but  wele  baste  [yt]  the  roste 

come  come  a  flawnt  a  flaunte 
gorge  brother  giue  place  and  heare  lohn  lincolne  speake 

clo  I  lincolne  my  leder  and  doll  [his]  my  true  breder  w**"  the  rest  of 

our  crue  shall  Ran  tan  tarra  ran.     doo  all  they  what  they  can 

shall  we  be  bobd  braude  no  shall  we  be  hellde  vnder  no.     we  ar  fre 

borne  and  doo  take  skome  to  be  [so.]  vsde  soe  / 
doll  pease  theare  I  saye  heare  captaine  lincolne  speake. 

kepe  silens  till  we  know  his  minde  at  large.  10 

clo  [come  on  than]  then  largelye  dilHuer  speake  buUie  and  he  that  presumes  to  [speak  before  y*] 

interrupte  the  in  thie  orratione  this  for  him  [capatene] 
lincol  then  gallant  bloods  you  whoes  fre  sowles  doo  skorne 

to  beare  the  inforsed  wrongs  of  alians 

ad  rage  to  Ressolutione  fier  the  howses 

of  theis  audatious  strangers :    This  is  S'  martins 

and  yonder  dwells  mutas  a  welthy  piccardye 

at  the  greene  gate 

de  barde  peter  van  hollocke  adrian  Martine 

w"*  many  more  outlandishe  fugetiues  ao 

shall  theis  enioy  more  priueledge  then  wee 

in  our  owne  cuntry.     lets  become  ther  slaiues 

Addition  II. 

This  insertion,  comprising  fols.  7-9,  is  a  composite  work  of  three  different  scribes,  working  however  in  conjunction. 
jol.  7  contains  a  somewhat  elaborated  draft  of  sc  iv  (fol.  5^  412-52).  The  original  scene  is  marked  for  deletion 
md  the  new  draft  obviously  intended  to  take  its  place.  Sc.  iv  was  originally  followed  by  the  prentice  scene  (sc  v), 
)f  which  only  the  opening  remains  (fol.  s**,  453-72),  and  which  was  entirely  cancelled  in  revision.  On  the  verso  of 
ol.  7,  in  a  second  hand,  is  a  scene  (sc.  v*)  which  may  or  may  not  be  a  revision  of  some  original  scene  which  has 
sntirely  disappeared  in  the  hiatus  between  fols.  5  and  10.  Fols.  8%  8^,  9^  (9^  being  blank)  contain  the  re\nsion,  in 
ithird  hand,  of  the  beginning  of  the  insurrection  scene  (sc.  vi).  The  original  draft  of  the  opening  of  this  scene  has 
iisappeared,  the  latter  part  is  contained  in  fol.  10,  *476-565.  Note  that  it  is  '476  that  follows  continuously  upon 
[I.  270,  *473-5  being  marked  for  deletion  as  forming  part  of  the  original  prose  speech  by  More  rendered  in 
i^erse  by  the  reviser. 

1-64  in  hand  B.  2  deletion  diyes  not  quite  certain :  Dyce  retains  it.  4  gorged  Dyce  George 

5  my  true\  my  interiined.  li  then  largelye  dilliuer]  interlined.  14  alians]  Dyce  alierts 

17  mutas]  t  altered  from  /  in  darker  ink  by  C  ? 

18-20  a  cross  in  right  margin,  apparently  in  same  ink  as  text,  cf.  fol.  5'',  418-21.  19  barde]  Dyce  Bard 

22  slaiues]  the  dot  of  the  /  has  been  crossed  out  in  modem  ink  :  Dyce  slaues 


yo  Sir  Thomas  More  [Fols.7^'' 

since  lustis  kepes  not  them  in  greater  awe 
wele  be  our  Selues  Rough  ministers  at  lavve. 
clo  vse  no  more  swords  nor  no  more  words  but  fier  the  howses 

braue  captaine  curragious  fier  me  ther  howses 
doll  I  for  we  maye  as  well  make  bonefiers  on  maye  daye  as 
at  midsomer  wele  alter  the  daye  in  the  callinder  and  sett 
itt  downe  in  flaming  letters 
sher  staye  no  that  wold  much  indanger  the  hole  cittie  30 

wher  too  I  wold  not  the  leaste  preiudice. 
doll  no  nor  I  nether  so  maie  mine  owne  howse  be  burnd  for  companye 
ile  tell  ye  what  wele  drag  the  strangers  into  more  feldes  & 
theare  bumbaste  them  till  they  stinke  a  gaine 
clo  and  thats  soone  doone  for  they  smell  for  feare  all  redye. 
Geor  let  some  of  vs  enter  the  strangers  houses 

and  if  we  finde  them  theare  then  bringe  them  forthe 
doll  but  if  ye  bringe  them  forthe  eare  ye  finde  them  lie  neare 

alowe  of  thatt 
clo  now  marsse  for  thie  honner  dutch  or  frenshe  so  yt  be  a  wenshe  40 

ile  vppon  hir 
WiLLlA  now  lads  howe  shall  we  labor  in  o''  saftie 

I  heare  the  maire  hath  gatherd  men  in  armes 
and  that  shreue  more  an  hower  a  goe  Risseude 
some  of  the  privye  cownsell  in  at  ludgate 
forse  now  must  make  our  pease  or  eles  we  fall 
twill  soone  be  knowne  we  ar  the  principal  1 
doll  and  what  of  that  if  thow  beest  a  fraide  husband  go  home  a 
gaine  and  hide  thy  hed  for  by  the  lord  lie  haue  a  lyttill  sporte 
now  we  ar  att  ytt  50 

[Lin]  Geor  lets  stand  vppon  o'  swords  and  if  they  come 

24  Rough]  Dyce  roughe 

25  words]  r  altered.  25,  26  howses]  Dyce  houses  but  u  and  w  are  almost  indistinguishable  in  B. 

26  small  pencil  cross  at  end.  27  bonefiers]  0  altered.  31  leaste]  Dyce  least 

32  maie]  mterlined.  33  tell]  e  altered.  35  doone]  00  badly  formed,  more  like  ar  or  ow 

41  hir]  h  altered.        Dyce  supplies  S.D.  Exeunt  Sherwin^  Clowne,  and  others,  after  hir 

^2  Willid]  written  in  darker  ink  by  C  over  Linco  of  B.        howe]  Dyce  sure 

44  shreue \  shr  altered.  48  thow]  Dyce  thou  51  swords]  Dyce  swerds 


i 


Scs.iv,v»]  Addition  II  (B,  C)  71 


Resseaue  them  as  they  weare  our  eninemyes 
clo  a  purchase  a  purchase  we  haue  fownd  we  ha  fownde 
doll  what 

clo  nothinge  nott  a  frenshe  fleminge  nor  a  fleming  frenshe 
to  be  fownde  but  all  fled  in  plaine  inglishe 
Linco  how  now  haue  you  fownd  any 
Sher  no  not  one  theyre  all  fled 
Lincol  then  fier  the  houses  that  the  maior  beinge  busye 

aboute  the  quenshinge  of  them  we  maye  skape  60 

burne  downe  ther  kennells  let  vs  straite  awaye 
leaste  this  daye  proue  to  vs  an  ill  maye  daye 
clo  fier  fier  ile  be  the  firste 

if  hanginge  come  tis  welcome  thats  the  worste 
Manett  Clowne  / 
(En)ter  At  on  dore  S*^  Thomas  moore  and  Lord  raaire  :  FOL.  7*» 

Att  an  other  doore  S'  lohn  Munday  Hurt. 
what  S'  lohn  muday  are  yo°  hurt 


Z.  Maior. 
S'  lohn. 


A  little  knock  my  lord  [her]  ther  was  even  now 

a  sort  of  prentises  playing  at  Cudgells  70 

I  did  Comaund  them  to  ther  m"  howses  , 

but  one  of  them  Backt  by  the  other  crew 

wounded  me  in  the  forhead  w'^  his  Cudgill 

and  now  I  feare  me  they  are  gon  to  loine 

w'^  Lincolne  Sherwine  and  ther  dangerous  traine 


Moore,  the  Captaines  of  this  Insurection 

have  tane  them  selves  to  armes.  and  cam  but  now 
to  both  the  counters  wher  they  have  releast 

52  enimmyes]  sic,  for  eneniyes  but  the  i  has  been  crossed  out  in  modem  ink :  Dyce  entietnyes 
Dyce  supplies  S.D.  Re-enter  Sherwin,  Clcnvne,  and  others,  after  this  line. 

55  fleminge]  Dyce  Fleming  56  be]  interlined.  59  maior']  Dyce  Mater 

63-5  written  up  right  margin  with  a  reference  line.  64  hanginge]  Dyce  hanging 

65  added  in  a  diflferent  hand,  C  ?  The  most  likely  explanation  of  this,  as  it  stands,  obviously  wrong 
addition,  seems  to  be  that  C  intended  to  continue  with  a  revision  of  sc.  v  (fol.  5^  453  &c.)  and  to  carry  the 
Clown  over  from  the  one  to  the  other.    If  so  the  intention  was  abandoned.        Dyce  supplies  S.D.  Exeunt. 

66  Scene  v*. 

66-122  in  hand  C.  68-75  marked  for  omission. 

69  her]  er  doubtful,  the  word  was  crossed  out  by  the  scribe  and  has  been  further  deleted  in 
a  different  ink.  73  forhead]  h  altered  from  r  ? 


72  Sir  Thomas  More  [Fols.  f,  8* 

sundrie  Indetted  prisoners,  and  from  thence 

I  heere  y'  they  are  gonn  Into  S'  martins  80 

wher  they  Intend  to  offer  violence 

to  the  amazed  Lombards  therfore  my  lord 

If  we  expect  the  saftie  of  the  Cittie 

[twere]  tis  time  that  force  or  parley  doe  encownter    


w'*"  thes  displeased  men.  Enter  A  messenger 


L.  maior.  how  now  what  newes 

Mess,  my  Lord  the  rebells  have  broake[n]  open  newegate 
from  whence  they  have  deliverd  manie  prisoners 
both  fellons  and  notorious  murderers 

that  desperatlie  cleave  to  ther  Lawles  traine  90 

L  Maior.  vpp  w""  the  draw  bridge  gath"^  som  forces 

to  Cornhill  and  cheapside.   And  gentle  men. 
If  dilligence  be  vsde  one  every  side 
A  quiet  Ebb  will  follow  this  rough  tide 
Enter  Shrowsberie  Surrie  Palmer.  Cholmley 

Shro.  Lord  maior  his  ma**^  receaving  notice, 
of  this  most  dangerous  Insurection. 
hath  sent  my  lord  of  Surry  and  my  self 
S"^  Thomas  palmer  and  o"^  followers 

to  add  vnto  o'  forces  o'  best  meanes  lo 

for  pacifying  of  this  mutinie 
In  gods  name  then  sett  one  w'**  happie  speed 
the  king  laments  If  one  true  Subiect  bleede 
Surr,  I  heere  they  meane  to  fier  the  Lumbards  howses 
oh  power  what  art  thou  in  a  madmans  eies 
thou  makst  the  plodding  Iddiott  Bloudy  wise 
Moore,  my  Lords  I  dowt  not  but  we  shall  appease 

w**^  a  calm  breath  this  flux  of  discontent 
Palme,  to  call  them  to  a  parley  questionles 

87  the  deletion  of  n  not  quite  certain :  Dyce  omits  it. 

100  c^  forces]  Dyce  ^mtndi.  your  forces  105  ihou]  Dyce  is  wrong  in  stating  that  the  MS.  reads  then 

109  the  speaker's  name  is  written  rather  too  low:    Dyce  prefixed  it  to  no,  thus  ignoring  the  speech- 
division  lines. 


5CS. v,vi]  Addition  II  (C,D)  73 

may  fall  out  good,  tis  well  said  m"^  moore  no 

Moor,  letts  to  thes  simple  men  for  many  sweat 

vnder  this  act  that  knowes  not  the  lawes  debtt 

w'^'*  hangs  vppon  ther  lives,  for  sillie  men. 

pi  odd  on  they  know  not  [ow]  how.  [like  a  fooles  penn] 

that  ending  showes  not  any  sentence  writt 

Hnckt  but  to  common  reason  or  sleightest  witt 

thes  follow  for  no  harme  but  yett  Incurr 

self  penaltie  w'^  those  that  raisd  this  stirr 

A  gods  name  one  to  calme  o'  privat  foes 

w'^  breath  of  gravitie  not  dangerous  bio wes  exeunt  lao 

Enter  Lincoln,  Doll.  Clown.  Georg  betts    zvilliamson  others 

And  A  sergaunt  at  amies 
Lincolne  Peace  heare  me,  he  that  will  not  see  (a  red)  hearing  a(t)  a  harry  FOL.  8» 

grote,  butter  at  a  levenp(enc)e  a  p(ounde  meale  at)  nyne  shillings  a 

Bushell  and  Beeff  at  fower  (nobles  a  stone  lyst)  to  (me) 
[other]  Geo  BETT  yt  will  Come  to  that  passe  yf  stra(ingers  be  su)fferd  marke  him 
Linco  our  Countrie  is  a  great  eating  Country,  argo  they  eate  more  in 

our  Countrey  then  they  do  in  their  owne 
[other]  BETTS  CLOW  by  a  half  penny  loff  a  day  troy  waight 


Line  they  bring  in  straing  rootes,  which  is  meerly  to  the  vndoing  of  poor  1 30 

prentizes,  for  whatj  [a  watrie]  or  sorrj'  psnyp  to  a  good  hart 
[oth]     WILLIAN  trash  trash ;  they  breed  sore  eyes  and  tis  enough  to  infect  the 
Cytty  w'  the  palsey 

Lin  nay  yt  has  infected  yt  w'  the  palsey,  for  theise  basterdj  of  dung 

as  you  knowe  they  growe  in  Dvng  haue  infected  vs,  and  yt  is  our 

III  thes]  Dyc^  the 

1 1 3-16  marked  for  omission,  but  a  subsequent  mark  after  113  may  be  intended  to  make  the  omission 
begin  at  114  only.  1 14  the  first  deletion  seems  to  be  of  o  and  beginning  of  w  120  blowes]  w  altered. 

121  Scene  vi. 

123-270  in  hand  D.  Fol.  8  has  first  been  mended  with  tracing  paper  and  has  then  been  pasted  over  on 
both  sides  with  the  same.     The  numerous  alterations  in  the  speakers'  names  are  by  C. 

123  harry]  Dyce  Herry  (but  probably  wrong).  125  BeeJ^]  first  e  altered. 

126  Geo  bett]  inserted  by  C.         marke]  Dyce  Mark 

127  Linco]  in  two  minims  only,  but  the  first  is  dotted.  129  betts  clow]  inserted  by  C. 

131  the  deletion  should  have  been  of  watrie  or  and  it  is  so  treated  by  Dyce. 

132  willian]  sic,  inserted  by  C  :  Dyce  William  134  dung]  un  has  one  minim  too  many. 

K 


74 


Sir  Thomas  More 


[FoLS.  8 


a,  b 


infeccion  will  make  the  Cytty  shake  which  ptly  Corns  through 
the  eating  of  psnyps 
[o]  Clown.  BETTS  trewe  and  pumpions  togeather 

Enter  Seriant  what  say  (ye  to  the)  mercy  of  the  king   do  yo"  refuse  yt 

Lin  yo"  (would  haue  vs)  vppon  thipp  woold  yo"  no  marry  do  we  not,  we  140 
accept  of  the  kingy  mercy  but  wee  will  showe  no  mercy  vppo 
the  st(raungers) 
seriaunt 
Lin 


Ge 


yo"  ar  the  (simplest)  thingj  that  eu'  stood  in  such  a  question 
how  say  yo"  now  prenti  prentisses  symple  downe  w"^  him 
all  prentisses  symple  prentisses  symple. 

Enter  the  L.  maier  Surrey 
Shrewsbury 
[Sher]  MAIOR  hold  in  the  kingj  name  hold 
Surrey  frendj  masters  Countrymen 

mayer  peace  how  peace  I  [sh]  Charg  yo"  keep  the  peace 

Shro.  my  maisters  Countrymen 

WILLIAMSON    The  noble  Earle  of  Shrewsbury  letty  hear  him 


150 


betty 
Line 
betty 
all 
Line 

Surr 
all 


weele  heare  the  earle  of  Surrey 

the  earle  of  Shrewsbury 

weele  heare  both 

both  both  both  both 

Peace  I  say  peace  ar  yo"  men  of  Wisdome  [ar]  or 

what  ar  yo" 

[But]  what  yo"  will  haue  them  but  not  men  of  Wisdome 

weele  not  heare  my  L  of  Surrey,  [     ]  no  no  no  no  no 


160 


138  Clown,  betis]  inserted  by  C ;  it  is  not  quite  certain  whether  the  preceding  0  has  been  deleted. 

139  i^w/^r]  interlined  by  C  :  Dyce  omits.        yOu\  Dyct  ye  141  j^^w^]  w  altered  ? 

144  how  say  yo^l  inserted  by  D.       yo"  Yiyc&ye       now  prenti']  interlined  byD.       prenti]  reading 
doubtful :  Dyce  prentisses  (but  the  whole  word  is  certainly  not  there). 

145  a  cross  at  the  end  probably  in  modem  ink  or  pencil. 

147  Dyce  (Corrigenda)  supplies  Palmer,  Cholmley,  and  Moore  after  Shrewsbury 

148  maior]  inserted  by  C. 

149-50  the  rule  which  should  come  between  these  lines  appears  to  have  been  omitted. 
150  the  second  deleted  letter  is  doubtful. 

1 52  Williamson]  written  by  C,  the  first  five  letters  covering  D's  Sher  ^1 

153  Ge]  added  by  C.  i^ 

154  Shrowsbury]  Dyce  Shrewsbury  f 
160  the  deleted  word  may  be  all  (it  has  been  crossed  out  in  darker  ink). 


Sc.  vi] 


Addition  II  (D) 


75 


Shrewsbury  shr 


moor 

Line 
Doll 


all 
moor 


all 
all 
Lincolne  bettj 


whiles  they  ar  ore  the  banck  of  their  obedyenc 

thus  will  they  here  downe  all  th(ings) 

Shreiff  moor  speakes  shall  we  heare  shreef  moor  speake 

Letty  heare  him  (a)  keepes  a  plenty  full  shrevaltry,  and  a  made  my 

Brother  Arther  watch(ins)  Seriant  S(af)es  yeoman  letj  heare 

shreeve  moore 

Shreiue  moor  moor  more  Shreue  moore 

(even)  by  the  rule  yo"*  haue  among  yo"^  sealues 

(comand  sti)ll  audience 

(Surrey  S)ury 

(moor  moor) 


FOL.  S** 


«7i 


moor 

Lincolne 

Moor 

Doll 

all 
moor 


peace  peace  scilens  peace. 

Yo"  that  haue  voyce  and  Credyt  w'  the  [Mv]  nvmber 

Comaund  them  to  a  stilnes 

a  plaigue  on  them  they  will  not  hold  their  peace  the  deule 

Cannot  rule  them 

Then  what  a  rough  and  ryotous  charge  haue  yo'* 

to  Leade  those  that  the  deule  Cannot  rule 

good  masters  heare  me  speake 

I  byth  mas  will  we  moor  thart  a  good  howskeeper  and  I 

thanck  thy  good  worship  for  my  Brother  Arthur  watchins 

peace  peace 


180 


look  what  yo"  do  offend  yo''  Cry  vppo 

that  is  the  peace,  not  (  of  yo"  heare)  present 

had  there  such  fellowes,  lyv(d  w)hen  yo"  wer  babes 

that  coold  haue  topt  the  p(eace)  as  nowe  yo"  woold 

the  peace  wherin  yo"  haue  till  nowe  growne  vp 

had  bin  tane  from  yo°,  and  the  bloody  tymes 

coold  not  haue  brought  yo°  to  [  ]  the  state  of  men 


190 


161  inserted  later  by  D.        shr\  Dyce  Shrewsbury  162  obedyenc\  Dyce  obedyence 

166  watchins^  the  last  three  letters  are  obscured  by  a  smudge  of  darker  ink.       yeoman\  o  altered  in 
darker  ink. 

178  Moor^  Dyce  Moore  182  watchins^  c  altered  from  beginning  of  A? 

190  two  short  words  appear  to  be  deleted. 

K  2 


76  Sir  Thomas  More  [Fols.8'',9» 

alas  poor  thingj  what  is  yt  yo"  haue  gott  } 

although  we  graunt  yo"  geat  the  thing  yo"  seeke 
[D]  Bett       marry  the  removing  of  the  straingers  w*^**  cannot  choose  but 

much  [helpe]  advauntage  the  poor  handycraftes  of  the  Cytty 
moor  graunt  them  remoued  and  graunt  that  this  yo"^  [y]  noyce 

hath  Chidd  downe  all  the  matie  of  Ingland 

ymagin  that  yo"  see  the  wretched  straingers 

their  babyes  at  their  backj,  and  their  poor  lugage 

plodding  tooth  portj  and  costj  for  transportacion 

and  that  yo"  sytt  as  kingj  in  your  desyres  200 

aucthoryty  quyte  sylenct  by  yo"^  braule 

and  yo"  in  ruff  of  yo"^  [yo]  opynions  clothd 

what  had  yo""  gott,  I'le  tell  yo",  yo"  had  taught 

how  insolenc  and  strong  hand  shoold  prevayle 

how  ordere  shoold  be  quelld,  and  by  this  patterne 

not  on  of  yo"  shoold  lyve  an  aged  man 

for  other  ruffians  as  their  fancies  wrought 

with  sealf  same  hand  sealf  reasons  and  sealf  right 

woold  shark  on  yo"  and  men  lyke  ravenous  fishes 

woold  feed  on  on  another  210 

Doll  before  god  thatj  as  trewe  as  the  gospell 

[Bettj]  LINCOLN  nay  this  a  sound  fellowe  I  tell  yo"  lets  mark  him 
MOOR  Let  me  sett  vp  before  yo'  thoughts  good  freindj 

on  supposytion  which  if  yo"  will  marke 

yo"  shall  pceaue  howe  horrible  a  shape 

yo"^  ynnovation  beres,  first  tis  a  sinn 

which  oft  thappostle  did  forwarne  vs  of  vrging  obedienc  to  aucthory(ty 

and  twere  [    ]  no  error  yf  I  told  yo"  all    yo"  wer  in  armes  gainst  g( 

193  D]  doubly  deleted,  first  by  D  and  then  in  darker  (modem  ?)  ink. 

194  handy craftes\  e  doubtful,  Dyce  omits,  but  there  is  something  between  t  and  s 

195  noyce\  y  altered  from  w  ?  196  matte]  sic,  without  any  mark  of  contraction. 

204  insolenc]  Dyce  insolence  210  a  cross  at  the  end  probably  in  modern  ink  or  pencil. 

212  //«fo/»]  inserted  by  C.        Dyce  supplies /j  after />%«  (unnecessarily). 

213  moor]  added  by  C.  217  obedienc]  Dyce  obedience        aucthoryty]  Dyce  authority 

11%  g]  Dyce  your  and  supplies  sovereign  (but  there  is  no  possible  room  for  such  an  addition,  and  the 
first  letter  is  certainly  g  not  y ;  moreover  the  context  imperatively  requires  god). 


sc.  vi]  Addition  II  (D)  77 

all  marry  god  forbid  that  FOL.  9* 

moo  nay  certainly  yo"  ar 

for  to  the  king  god  hath  his  ofifyce  lent  aai 

of  dread  of  lustyce,  power  and  Comaund 

hath  bid  him  rule,  and  willd  yo"  to  obay 

and  to  add  ampler  matie.  to  this 
he  [god]  hath  not  [le]  only  lent  the  king  his  figure 

his  throne  [his]  sword,  but  gyven  him  his  owne  name 

calls  him  a  god  on  earth,  what  do  yo"  then 

rysing  gainst  him  that  god  himsealf  enstalls 

but  ryse  gainst  god,  what  do  yo°  to  yo'  sowles 

in  doing  this  o  desperat  [ar]  as  you  are.  330 

wash  your  foule  mynds  w'  teares  and  those  same  handy 

that  yo*"  lyke  rebells  lyft  against  the  peace 

lift  vp  for  peace,  and  your  vnreuerent  knees 

[that]  make  them  your  feet  to  kneele  to  be  forgyven 

[is  safer  warrs,  then  euer  yo"  can  make] 

[whose  discipline  is  ryot ;  why  euen  yo"^  [warrs]  hurly]  [in  in  to  yo'  obedienc] 

[cannot  f)ceed  but  by  obedienc]  TELL  ME  BUT  THIS  what  rebell  captaine 

as  mutynes  ar  incident,  by  his  name 

can  still  the  rout  who  will  obay  [th]  a  traytor 

or  howe  can  well  that  pclamation  sounde  240 

when  ther  is  no  adicion  but  a  rebell 

to  quallyfy  a  rebell,  youle  put  downe  straingers 

kill  them  cutt  their  throts  possesse  their  howses 

and  leade  the  matie  of  lawe  in  liom 

220  ar\  Dyce  are 

226  pencil  cross  at  beginning.  his  has  certainly  been  crossed  out,  and  something  may  have  been 
written  over  it :  Dyce  and 

233  an  interlineation  intended  to  come  before  your  has  been  erased ;  it  may  have  been  intended 
to  replace  and 

235-7  all  the  deletions,  except  that  of  warrs  in  236,  are  in  darker  ink  by  C. 

236  hurly\  («r  doubtful)  apparently  added  to  replace  warrs  deleted.  in  in  to yo'  obedienc.'\  interlined 
by  D  above  the  second  half  of  the  line.        obedienc.]  Dyce  obedience 

237  obedienc]  Dyce  obedience        tell  me  but  this]  interlined  by  C  above  what  precedes. 

238  mutynes]  n  interlined  :  Dyce  mutynies  240  sounde]  un  wants  a  minim. 
241  ther]  r  altered  from  ir            244  matie]  sic,  without  any  mark  of  contraction. 


78  Sir  Thomas  More  [FoLs-g^.n*" 

to  sHpp  him  lyke  a  hound ;  [saying]  [alas  alas]  say  nowe  the  king 

as  he  is  clement,  yf  thoffendor  moorne 
"^oold  so  much  com  to  short  of  your  great  trespas 

as  but  to  banysh  yo",  whether  woold  yo"  go. 

what  Country  by  the  nature  of  yo"^  error 

shoold  gyve  you  harber  go  yo"  to  fFraunc  or  flanders  250 

to  any  larman  pvince,  [to]  spane  or  portigall 

nay  any  where  [why  yo"]  that  not  adheres  to  Ingland 

why  yo"  must  needy  be  straingers.  woold  yo"  be  pleasd 

to  find  a  nation  of  such  barbarous  temper 

that  breaking  out  in  hiddious  violence 

woold  not  afoord  yo",  an  abode  on  earth 

whett  their  detested  knyves  against  yo"^  throtes 

spurne  yo"  lyke  doggj,  and  lyke  as  yf  that  god 

owed  not  nor  made  not  yo",  nor  that  the  elamenty 

wer  not  all  appropriat  to  [ther]  yo""  Comforty.  260 

but  Charterd  vnto  them,  what  woold  yo"  thinck 

to  be  thus  vsd,  this  is  the  straingers  case 
all  and  this  your  momtanish  inhumanyty 

fayth  a  sales  trewe  letts  vs  do  as  we  may  be  doon  by 
[all]  LiNCO  weele  be  ruld  by  yo"  master  moor  yf  youle  stand  our 

freind  to  pcure  our  pdon 
moor  Submyt  yo"  to  theise  noble  gentlemen 

entreate  their  mediation  to  the  kinge 

gyve  vp  yo'  sealf  to  forme  obay  the  maiestrate 

and  thers  no  doubt,  but  mercy  may  be  found,  yf  yo"  so  seek  it  270 

\End  of  Addition  II. "] 

245  alas  a/as]  interlined  by  D,  crossed  out  by  C.  248  pencil  cross  at  end. 

250  £yve]  Dyc&geve  jffraunc\  Dyce  Fraunce  251  spane]  Dyce  Spaine 

254  barbarous]  second  r  altered.  260  yti^]  interlined.  262  pencil  cross  at  end. 

263  all]  belongs  to  264  where  Dyce  places  it.        momtanish]  the  interpretation  '  mawmtanish,  Maho- 
metanish '  is  unsatisfactory :    Dyce  emend,  mountanish  and  H.  Bradley  conj.  (privately)  moritanish 
inhumanyty]  Dyce  inhumanytye  264  vs]  crossed  out  in  modern  ink :  Dyce  omits. 

265  Linco]  inserted  by  C.        master]  Dyce  Maister 

269  gyve]  Dyce  Geve       yo''  sealf]  Dyce  yoursealfe 

270  may]  Dyce  male        yo"]  0"  badly  formed.         it]  there  is  certainly  some  word  after  seek  but  the 
exact  form  is  doubtful :  Dyce  omits.  Fol.  9*^  blank. 


Scs.  vi,  viii]  Additions  II  and  III  (D,  C)  79 

Enter  moore 

It  is  in  heaven  that  I  am  thus  and  thus  FOL.  11*^ 

And  that  w*'''  we  prophanlie  terme  0""  fortuns 

Is  the  provision  of  the  power  aboue 

fitted  and  shapte  lust  to  that  strength  of  nature 

w'^^  we  are  borne  good  god  good  god 

that  I  from  such  an  humble  bench  of  birth 

should  stepp  as  twere  vp  to  my  Countries  head 

And  give  the  law  out  ther  I  in  my  fathers  lif 

to  take  prerogative  and  tyth  of  knees  10 

from  elder  kinsmen  and  him  bynd  by  my  place 

to  give  the  smooth  and  dexter  way  to  me 

that  owe  it  him  by  nature,  sure  thes  things 

not  phisickt  by  respecte  might  turne  o'  bloud 

to  much  Coruption.  but  moore.  the  more  thou  hast 

ether  of  honor  office  wealth  and  calling 

w*^  might  [acce]  accite  thee  to  embrace  and  hugg  them 

the  more  doe  thou  in  serpents  natures  thinke  them 

feare  ther  gay  skinns  w'^  thought  of  ther  sharpe  state 

And  lett  this  be  thy  maxime,  to  be  greate  ao 

Is  when  the  thred  of  hazard  is  once  Spufi 

A  bottom  great  woond  vpp  greatly  vndonn. 

{End  of  Addition  //I.] 

Addition  III. 

This  insertion  is  on  a  piece  of  paper  pasted  on  to  the  lower  part  of  foh  ii^,  and  covering  *76i-96 
of  the  deleted  sc.  viii  a.  From  its  position  it  would  seem  that  the  addition  was  intended  to  stand  at  the 
beginning  of  the  revised  sc.  viii  (fol.  12*)  but  the  necessary  alteration  in  the  S.D.  has  not  been  made,  and 
the  additional  speech  has  no  connexion  with  what  follows.  It  might  of  course  be  treated  as  an  independent 
scene  (cf.  V),  but  such  does  not  appear  to  have  been  the  intention  of  the  scribe.  If  it  is  intended  to  form 
part  of  what  follows  it  is  of  course  a  subsequent  addition.  Dyce  inserts  it,  making  the  necessary  alterations 
in  the  S.D. 

Fol.  II**  blank.  1-22  in  hand  C. 

I  Enter]  Dyce  omits.  2  heaven]  Dyce  Heauen  6  Dyce  supplies  withal  after  borne 

9  out]  might  be  ont        lif]  Dyce  life  15  Coruption^  Dyce  corruption 

21  hazard]  Dyce  hay  day        SpuH]  Dyce  spoun 


So  Sir  Thomas  More  [Fol.  12' 

Enter  S''  Thomas  moore  and  his  man  A  tired  like  him  FOL.  12» 

Moore.  Com  on  sir  are  yo"  redy 

Randall,  yes  my  Lord  I  stand  but  one  a  few  points.     I  shall  have  donn  p'sentlie.  before  god 

I  have  practised  yo'^  Lordshipps  shift  so  well,  that  I  thinke  I  shall  grow  prowd 

my  Lord 

Moore,  tis  fitt  thou  shouldst  wax  prowd.  or  ells  thoult  nere 

be  neere  allied  to  greatnes.  observe  me  Sirra 

the  Learned  Clarke  Erasmus  is  arived 

w'^in  o""  english  court.     Last  night  I  heere 

he  feasted  w*^  o*"  honord  English  poet  «< 

the  Earle  of  Surrey,  and  I  leamd  to  day 

the  famous  clarke  of  Rotherdam  will  visett 

S"^  Thomas  moore,  therfore  sir  take  my  seate 

yo"  are  Lord  Chauncelor.  dress  yo'  behaviour 

according  to  my  carriage  but  beware 

yo"  talke  not  over  much  for  twill  betray  thee 

who  prates  not  much  seemes  wise  his  witt  few  scan 

while  the  [tog]  tongue  Blabs  tales  of  the  Imperfitt  man. 

lie  see  If  greate  Erasmus  can  distinguishe 

meritt  and  outward  Cerimony 

Rand.  If  I  doe  not  deserve  a  share  for  playing  of  yo*"  Lo.  well,  lett  me  be  yeoman 

vsher  to  yo'  Sumpter  and  be  banisht  from  wearing  of  a  gold  chaine  for  ever 

Moore,  well  sir  He  hide  o"^  motion  act  my  part 

w*^  a  firme  Boldnes  and  thou  winst  my  hart 
how  now  whats  the  matter. 


Faulk.  Tugg  me  not  I  me  noe  beare.  sbloud  If  all  the 


Enter  The  Shreiue  w^'' 

Fawkner  a  ruffin 
and  officers 


doggs  in  paris  garden,  hung  at  my  tale.  Ide  shake  em  of  w'''  this,  that  He 

Addition  IV. 

This  insertion  originally  filled  three  and  a  half  pages  and  was  all  in  one  hand  :  subsequently  a  secoi 
hand  made  an  addition  in  the  blank  space  left  at  the  end.  It  replaces  a  passage  in  the  original  (sc.  viii)  which  begj 
on  fol.  11'',  *735,  filled  one  or  more  original  leaves  which  have  disappeared  between  fols.  ll  and  14,  and  the  who 
of  fol.  14%  ending  at  ^\Z^(i.  It  is  not  clear  whether  this  was  all  one  scene  in  the  original  draft  or  not,  but  for  purpos 
of  numbering  it  may  be  assumed  that  it  was,  since  the  revised  version  is  continuous.  In  that  case  the  chief  altei 
tion  made  by  the  reviser  seems  to  have  been  the  division  of  the  Faukner  portion  into  two  parts  and  the  insertion 
the  Erasmus  portion  between  them. 

I -2 II  in  hand  C.  19  Erasmus]  mu  has  one  minim  too  many.  20  pencil  cross  at  end. 

26  beare\  b  altered.  27  shake\  k  altered. 


viii]  Addition  IV  (C)  8i 

appeere.  before  noe  king  Cirstned  but  my  good  Lord  Chauncelor 
Shre.  weele  cristen  yo"  sirra.  bring  him  forward. 
Moore   how  now  what  tumults  make  yo°  30 

fall,  the  azurd  heavens  protect  my  noble  Lord  chauncelor 
Moore,  what  fellowes  this. 
Shre.  A  Ruffian  my  Lord  that  hath  sett  half  the  Cittie  in  an  vpprore 
Folk,  my  Lord. 
Shre.  ther  was  a  fray  in  paternoster  row.  and  because  they  would  not  be  pted.  the 

street  was  choakt  vpp  w'**  carts. 
fauk.  my  noble  Lord  paniar  Allies  throat  was  open. 
Moore  S'a  hold  yo'  peace 
fauk  He  prove  the  street  was  not  choakt.  but  is  as  well  as  ever  it  was  since  It  was 

A  streete  4© 

Shreu.  this  fellow  was  a  principall  broacher  of  the  broile 
fawk.  Sbloud  I  bro[  ]cht  none.     It  was  broacht  and  half  ronn  out  before  I  had 

a  lick  at  it 
Shre.  and  would  be  brought  before  noe  lustice  but  yo'  honor 
Fauk.  I  am  haild  my  noble  Lord 
Moore,  no  eare  to  choose  for  every  triviall  noice 
but  mine,  and  in  so  full  a  time,  away 
yo"  wronge  me  m'  shreve.  dispose  of  him 
at  yo*^  owne  plesure.  send  the  knave  to  newgate 
Fauk.  [sbloud]  to   newgate   sbloud   S'  Thomas   moore.    I   appeale  I   appeale?   from       50 

newgate  to  any  of  the  two  worshippfull  counters 
Moore,  fellow  whose  man  are  yo°  that  are  thus  lustie 
Fauk.  ray  names  lack  fawkner.  I  serve  next  vnder  god  and  my  prince  m"^  morris  secritary 

to  my  Lord  of  Winchester 
Moore.  A  fellow  of  yo'  haire  is  very  fitt.  to  be  a  secretaries  follower 
Fauk.  I  hope  so  my  Lord,  the  fray  was  betweene  the  Bishopps  men  of  Eelie  and 
Winchester,  and  I  could  not  in  honor  but  pte  them.     I  thought  it  stood  not  w*** 
my  reputation  and  degree,  to  com   to   my  Questions  and  aunswers.  befor  A 
a  Citty  lustice.     I  knew  I  should  to  the  pott 

Zlffall.]  altered :  Dyce  Falk       azurd]  Dyce  azurde  42  brocht]  c  interlined  above  a  letter  («  or  a?)  deleted. 

43  pencil  cross  at  end.  45  Fauk.]  i^altered  from/         50  appeals?]  i.  e.  appeale  !  53  next]  interlined. 

•itary]  Dyce  secretary  56  Eelie]  sic.  58  befor]  Dyce  before  58-9  A  a]  sic  :  Dyce  a 

L 


82  Sir  Thomas  More  [Fols. 


la"* 


Moore,  thou  hast  byn  ther  It  seemes  to  late  all  redie  JFOL.  12^ 

Fauk  I  know  yo^  honor  is  wise,  and  so  forth,  and  I  desire  to  be  only  [ch]  cattachizd 

or  examind  by  yo"  my  noble  Lord  chauncelor 

Moore  Sirra.  sirra  you  are  a  busie  dangerous  ruffian. 
Faiik.  Ruffian. 


Moore,  how  long  have  yo"  worne  this  haire 
Faiik  I  have  worne  this  haire  ever  since  I  was  borne 
Moore  you  know  thats  not  my  Question,  but  how  long  hath  this  shagg  fleece  hunj 

dangling  on  thy  head 
Fauke.  how  long  my  Lord,  why  somtimes  thus  Long  somtimes  Lowere  as  the  fates 

humors  please. 
Moore.  So  Quick  sir  w'^  me.  ha  ?  I  see  good  fellow,  thou  lovest  plaine  dealing,  sirr 

tell  me  now  when  [whe]  were  yo"  last  at  Barbars.  how  longe  time  have  yoi 

vppon  yo*^  head  woorne  this  shagg  haire 
Fauke.  My  Lord  lack  faukner  tells  noe  Esops  fabls.  troth  I  was  not  at  Barbar 

this  three  yeires.     I  have  not  byn  Cutt  nor  will  not  be  cutt.  vppon  a 

foolish  vow.  w'^^  as  the  destanies  shall  derect  I  am  swome  to  keepe 
Moore,  when  comes  that  vow  out 

Fauk.  why  when  the  humors  are  purgd  not  this  three  years 
Moore  vowes  are  recorded  in  the  court  of  heaven. 

for  they  are  holly  acts,  yong  man  I  charge  thee 

and  doe  advize  thee  start  not  from  y'  vow 

and  for  I  will  be  sure  thou  shalt  not  shreve 

besids  because  It  is  an  odious  sight 

to  see  a  man  thus  hairie.  thou  shalt  lie 

In  Newgate  till  thy  vow  and  thy  three  years 

be  full  expired.     Away  w^''  him 

Fauke  my  Lord  

Moor.  Cut  of  this  fleece  and  lie  ther  but  a  moneth 
Fauke.  He  not  loosse  a  haire  to  be  Lord  Chauncelor  of  Europe 
Moore  to  newgate  then.     Sirra  great  sinns  are  Brede  90 

61  the  second  deleted  letter  is  unfinished.  72  have]  v  altered  ?  74  fabls.]  Dyct  fables 

78  this]  Dyce  theis  82  shreve]  Dyce  conj.  swerve  83  besids]  Dyce  Besides 

89  Fauke.]  Dyce  Fauk        loosse]  Dyce  loose 


Sc.  nii]  Addition  IV  (C)  83 

in  all  that  Body  wher  thers  a  foule  head,    away  w'^  him.     exeunt 
Enter  Surry  Erasmus  and  Attendaunts. 

Surry,  now  great  Erasmus  you  approch  the  p'^sence 

of  a  most  worthy  Learned  gentleman. 

this  Little  He  holds  not  a  trewer  frend 

vnto  the  arts,  nor  doth  his  greatnes  add 

A  fained  florish  to  his  worthie  pts 

hees  great  in  studie  thats  the  statists  grace 

that  gaines  more  Reverence  then  the  outward  place. 
Erasmus.  [It  is  Erasmus\  Report  my  Lord  hath  Crost  the  narrow  seas  loo 

and  to  the  several!  pts  of  Christendom 

hath  borne  the  same  of  yo"^  Lord  chauncelor 

I  long  to  see  him  whom  w'^  loving  thoughts 

I  in  my  studie  oft  have  visited 

Is  that  S""  Thomas  moore 
Surry.  It  is  Erasmus 

now  shall  yo"  vew  the  honorablest  scholler 

the  most  religious  pollititian. 

the  worthiest  Counsailor  that  tends  o''  state 

that  study  is  the  generall  watch  of  England  i  lo 

In  it  the  princes  saftie  and  the  [state]  peace 

that  shines  vppon  o"^  Comon  wealth  are  forgd 

by  Loiall  Industrie 
Erasmus.  I  dowt  him  not 

to  be  as  neere  the  lif  of  Excellence 

as  you  proclaime  him  when  his  meanest  servaunts 

are  of  some  waight  you  saw  my  lord  his  porter 

give  entertainment  to  vs  at  the  gate 

in  Latten.  good  phrase,  whats  the  m^  then. 

when  such  good  pts  shine  in  his  meanest  men.  no 

91  Dyce  supplies  all  except  Randall,  after  exeunt 

92  Attendaunts]  Dyce  Attendants  102  same]  sic,  {or  fame,  which  Dyce  prints. 

107  vew]  reading  doubtful :  v  and  lu  are  clear,  and  between  them  is  what  might  be  either  e  or  o,  but 
is  more  like  the  latter ;  then  above  this  is  a  mark  which  may  be  meant  either  to  turn  o  into  e  or  if  the  letter 
is  already  e  to  indicate  an  i  before  it :  Dyce  view 

108  religious]  r^/ altered.  115  lif]  Dyce  life 

L  2 


84  Sir  Thomas  More  [Fols.  I2^I3• 

Surry,  his  Lo  hath  som  waightie  Busines 

for  see  as  yett  he  takes  noe  notice  of  vs  FOL.  13* 

Erasmus.  I  thinke  twere  best  I  did  my  dutie  to  him 

in  a  short  Latin   speech.     Qui  in  Celiberima\^     ]  patria  natus  est  ett        \ 

Gloriosa\     ]  plus  habet  negotij  et  in  [fuftem]  Lucem  veniat  quam  qui  \ 

Rand.  I  pry  thee  good  Erasmus  be  Covered.     I  have  for  sworne  speaking  of  lattinl 

as  I  am  true  Counsailor  Ide  tickle  yo"  w'**  a  speech,  nay  Sitt  Erasmus,  sitll 

good  my  Lord  of  Surry.     He  make  my  Lady  Com  to  yo"  annon  If  she  wil 

and  give  yo"  entertainment 
Erasmus.  Is  this  S*^  Thomas  Moore  13(1 

Surry,  oh  good  Erasmus  yo"  must  Conceave  his  vaine  hees  ever  furnisht  w'**  the;| 

Conceits 
Rand,  yes  faith  my  learned  poet  doth  not  lie  for  that  matter.     I  am  nether  morl 


Enter  !^  Thomas  nor  less   then   mery  S"^  Thomas   allwaies.  wilt  supp  w'''  me.  by  god  I  lovj 
moore.  a  parlous  wise  fellow  that  smells  of  a  pollititian.  better  then  a  long  progresj 


Surry,  we  are  deluded,  this  is  not  his  Lordshipp  \ 

Rand.  I  pray  yo"  Erasmus  how  longe  will  the  holland  cheese  in  yo""  [Coiateyrie]  Countri 

keepe  w'^out  maggetts. 
Moore,  foole  painted  Barbarisme  retire  thy  self 

Into  thy  first  creation  thus  yo"  see  i. 

my  loving  learned  frends  how  far  respecte 

waites  often  on  the  Cerimonious  traine 

of  bace  lUitterate  welth  whilst  men  of  schooles 

shrowded  in  povertie  are  cownted  fooles 

pdon  thou  reverent  germaine  I  have  mixt 

so  slight  a  lest  to  the  faire  Entertainment 

of  thy  most  worthy  self,  for  know  Erasmus 

mirth  wrinckls  vpp  my  face  and  I  still  Crave 

124  Celiberii>id\  a  altered  ;  final  m  ?  deleted. 

125  Gloriosa\  a  altered;  final  mt  deleted.  negotij^  Dyce  negotii  ei\  Dyce  emend,  ut  Lucet 
interlined;  ^w  altered.  127  Dyce  supplies  ^/.y^  before  aj. 

137  Couteyrie]  The  original  reading  was  probably  Contey  then  n  being  treated  as  u  had  a  mark  placed  over 
to  give  the  reading  un  and  the  last  three  letters,  which  are  however  doubtful,  were  added  ;  the  scribe  no  doubt  tb 
intended  to  delete  ey  but  seeing  the  confusion  he  had  produced  altered  his  mind  and  struck  out  the  whole  woi 

Countrie\  interlined. 

140  Dyce  supplies  the  s.D.  Exit  Randal.  aSttr  creation         143  bace]  Dyce  dase        lUitterate']  DycQ  I'llitter, 

144  cownted]  Dyce  counted  M^  Crave]  C  sltertd  irom  g 


! 


i]  Addition  IV  (C)  85 

When  that  forsaks  me  I  may  [have]  hugg  my  grave 
Erasmus,  yo'  honors  mery  humor  is  best  phisick  et  tu  Erasmus  an  150 

vnto  yo"^  able  Boddy.  for  we  leame  Diabolus 

wher  mellancholly  choaks  the  passages 

of  bloud  and  breth  the  errected  spirit  still 

lengthens  o"^  dayes  w'^  sportfull  exercise 

studie  should  be  the  saddest  time  of  lif 

the  rest  a  sport  exempt  from  thought  of  strife 
Moore.  Erasmus  preacheth  gospell  against  phisicke. 

my  noble  poet 
Surry,  oh  my  [noble]  Lord  yo**  tax  me 

in  that  word  poet  of  much  Idlenes  i6o 

It  is  a  studie  that  maks  poore  o'  fate 

poets  were  ever  thought  vnfitt  for  state 
Moore,  o  give  not  vp  faire  poisie  sweet  Lord 

to  such  Contempt  that  I  may  speake  my  hart 

It  is  the  sweetest  heraldrie  of  art 

that  setts  a  difference  tweene  the  tough  sharpe  holly 

and  tender  Bay  tree 
Surry  yett  my  lord.  It  is  become  the  very  Lagg  in  number 

to  all  mechanick  sciences 
Moore,  why  He  show  the  reason  170 

this  is  noe  age  for  poets  they  should  sing 

to  the  lowd  Canon  Heroic  a  facta 

quifaciunt  reges  heroica  Carmiua  lawdant 

and  as  great  subiects  of  ther  pen  decay 

\^<^  forsaksX  Tlyce  forsakes  ^i"££']  interlined. 

150  hotiors]  Dyce  honers        Dyce  supplies  aut  after  et  and  after  an  presumably  intending  substitution. 

154  /^»^Ae«j]  ^  altered  from  /  155  ///]  "Dyct  life  161  maks]  Dyce  makes 

163  ^'ve]  }v  altered  from  u 

168  La^g"  in]  reading  very  doubtful ;  the  first  letter  can  hardly  be  anything  but  a  badly  formed  L.  the  second  is 
imost  certamly  a,  the  third  certainly^,  the  fourth  is  badly  blotted  and  may  have  been  deleted,  it  looKs  most  like^, 
hile  above  it  are  marks  resembling  the  dot  of  an  /  and  an  Italian  c  ;  then  after  a  blank,  and  rather  close  to  the 
ext  word,  is  something  blotted  or  deleted,  which  may  conceivably  be  in  though  it  looks  more  like  n ;  it  seems  most 
kely  that  the  apparent  deletions  and  interlineations  are  due  to  blots  or  sets  off  from  the  opposite  page  (there  is  at 
ast  one  other  mark  in  the  neighbourhood  presumably  due  to  that  cause) :  Dyce  logic  (doubtfully). 

1 73  f'^£^s]  second  e  altered  ? 


86  Sir  Thomas  More  [Fols.  13*.' 

^ — .  . — — .   ■ _ — j 

even  so  vnphisickt  they  doe  melt  away  Enter  m"  Morris  \ 

Com  will  yo'  Lordshipp  in  ?    my  deere  Erasmus  ! 

He  heere  yo"  m"^  moris  presentlie.  I 

my  Lord  I  make  yo"  m'  of  my  howse  I 

weele  Banquett  heere  w'''  fresh  and  staid  delights  I 

the  muses  musick  heer  shall  cheere  o'  sprites  |  neate  witt     i8(i 

the  cates  must  be  but  meane  wher  scollers  sitt.  for  thar  (ma)de  all  w'^  courses(  o 

Moor,  how  now  m'  morris  FoL.  13  I 

moriss.  I  am  a  suter  to  yo''  Lordshipp  in  behalf  of  a  servaunt  of  mine.  i 

moore.  the  fellow  w*^  Long  haire  good  m""  moris  i* 

Com  to  me  three  years  hence  and  then  He  heere  yo"  | 

7noris  I  vnderstand  yo""  honor  but  the  foolish  knave  has  submitted  him  self  to  the     | 
mercy  of  a  Barber,  and  is  w%ut  redy  to   make  a  new  vow  befor  your 
Lordshipp.  heerafter  to  live  Civell 

moore.  nay  then  letts  talke  w'''  him  pray  call  him  in  Enter  Faukner.  and 

Fauk.  bless  yo'^  honor  a  new  man  my  lord.  officers  \ 

Moore,  why  sure  this  not  he 

Fauk.  and  yo"^  Lordshipp  will  [yo"^  L]  the  Barber  shall  give  you  a  sample  of 

my  head  I  am  he  Infaith  my  Lord,  I  am  ipse^ 
Moore,  why  now  thy  face  is  like  an  honest  mans 

thou  hast  plaid  well  at  this  new  cutt  and  wonn 

Fauk.  no  my  lord  Lost  all  that  [god]  ever  god  sent  me 

Moore  god  sent  thee  Into  the  world  as  thou  art  now  w"'  a  short  haire.  how  quickly 
are  three  years  ronn  out  in  Newgate 

Fauk.  I  think  so  my  lord,  for  ther  was  but  a  haires  length  betweene  my  going 

thether.  and  so  long  time  i 

Moor  Because  I  see  som  grace  in  thee  goe  free 
Discharge  him  fellowes  farewell  m""  moris 
[Enter  a  messenger]  thy  head  is  for  thy  shoulders  now  more  fitt 

[heere.]  thou  hast  less  haire  vppon  it  but  more  witt     exit 

Moris.  Did  not  I  tell  thee  allwaies  of  thes  Locks 

Fauk.  And  the  locks  were  on  againe  all  the  goldsmiths  in  cheapside  should  not 

180  Dyce  supplies  the  S.D.  Exeunt  Surrey^  Erasmus^  and  Attendants,  after  witt 

181  the  rule  that  should  mark  off  the  speech  is  wanting. 

182  Moor.'\  Dyce  omits.  187  befor]  Dyce  before  188  live  Civell]  Dyce  leve  cavell 
191  Dyce  supplies  is  after  this  (unnecessarily).           206  not]  ot  doubtful. 


.  viii]  Addition  IV  (C,  E)  87 

pick  them  open,  shart.  if  my  haire  stand  not  an  end  when  I  looke  for 

my  face  in  a   glass.   I   am   a   polecatt  heers.   a  lowsie   lest,   but  if  I 

notch  not  that   rogue  tom   barbar  that  makes  me  looke  thus  like  a 

Brownist.   hange    me.   He  be  worss  to  the    nitticall   knave,    then   ten  aio 

tooth  drawings  [w]  heers  a  head  w"*  a  pox  [exit] 

Morr :  what  ailst  tho"  ?    art  tho"  mad  now. 

Faulk,  mad  now  ?  nayles  yf  losse  of  hayre  Cannot  mad  a  man  — 
what  Can  ?  I  am  deposde :  my  Crowne  is  taken  from  mee 
Moore  had  bin  better  a  Scowrd  More  ditch,  than  a  notcht 
mee  thus,    does  hee   begin    sheepe   sharing  w*^   lack   Faulkner? 

3forr :  nay  &  yo"  feede  this  veyne  S',  fare  yo"  well. 

Fa/k :  why  fare  well  Frost.  He  goe  hang  my  Selfe  out  for  the  — 
poll  head,  make  a  Sarcen  of  lack  ? 

Morr\  tho"  desperate  knave,  for  that  I  See  the  divell,  aao 

wholy  gettj  hold  of  thee. 

Falk  :  the  divelly  a  dambd  rascall 

Morr :  I  charge  thee  wayte  on  mee  no  more :  no  more, 
call  mee  thy  m'^. 

Folk  :  why  then  a  word  m"^  Morris, 

Morr.  He  heare  no  wordes,  S^  fare  yo"  well. 

Folk  :  Sbloud  farewell : 

Morr :  why  doest  tho°  follow  [yo"]  mee : 

Falk'.  because  Ime  an  Asse,  doe  yo"  sett  yo'  shavets  vpon  mee,  &  then 

cast  mee  off?    must  I  condole?   haue  the  fates  playd  the  fooles  330 

^eepes.  \  am  I  theire  Cutt?  Now  the  poore  Sconce  is  taken,  must  lack 
march    wth    bag    &    baggage? 


Morr . 
Falk 


yo"  Coxcomb. 


nay  yo"  ha  poacht   mee,  yo"  ha  given    mee  a  hayre,   ity  here 
here. 


207  an\  sic.       for\  ?^7r  altered  from  ro  211  drawings^  Dyce  draweings  212-42  in  hand  E. 

212  ailst\  Dyce  ails        tho^ .?]  query-mark  substituted  for  period. 

213  nowf\  query-mark  substituted  for  period.  man — ]  the  dashes  here  and  in  218  are  mere  flourishes  to 
II  the  line.        214  deposde  f^  colon  substituted  for  comma.        Tnee'\  Dyce  me 

215  5^<7wr^/]  r  altered  from  a  :  Tiyct  scowred  21S /or]  Dyce  0/ 

22g  s/iaveis]  Dyce  shavers      mee,]  Dyce  me         231  weepes.]  Dyce  IVea^es         233-5  marked  for  omission. 

23s  here.]  Dyce  heare 


88  Sir  Tho7nas  More  [Fols.  I3^I3*• 

Morr :  Away  yo"  kynd  [foole]  Asse,  come  S',  dry  yo''  eyes, 

keepe  yo'  old  place  &  mend  theis  fooleryes. 
Falk :  I  care  not  to  bee  tournd  off,  and  twere  a  ladder,  so  it  bee  in 

my  humor,  or  the  fates  becon  to  mee  ;  nay  pray  S"^,  yf  the  destinyes 
®  Spin  mee  a  fyne  thred,  Falkner  flyes  another  pitch :  &  to  340 

avoyd  the  headach,  hereafter  before  He  bee  a  hayremonger  He 

I  bee  a  whoremonger. Exeu{ 

[End  of  Addition  I V.] 

236  Asse,]  Asse  interlined,  first  s  doubtful ;   comma  after  foo/e  traceable  under  the  caret-mark 
belonging  to  Asse 

239  yf]  interlined.  240  The  reference  mark  (presumably  to  Vi)  is  partly  torn  away. 


Scs.  viii,  viii']  Additions  IV  and  V  (E,  C)  89 


©  Mess    Enter  A  Messenger  to  moore.  FOL.  13*» 

T  Goodal      my  honorable  lord  the  maior  of  london  [his  lady] 

accompaned  w*^  his  lady  and  her  traine 

are  coming  hether.  and  are  hard  at  hand 

to  feast  w**"  yo°  A  seriaunts  come  before 

to  tell  yo''  Lordshipp  of  ther  neer 

aproch 
Moore  why  this  is  cheerful  1  &c ' 

why  this  is  cheerfull  newes  frends  goe  and  Come 

Reverend  Erasmus  whose  delitious  words  10 

express  the  very  soule  and  lif  of  witt 

newlie  toke  sad  leave  of  me  w'^  teares 

trubled  the  sillver  channel!  of  the  Themes 

w'^^  glad  of  such  a  burden  prowdlie  sweld 

And  one  her  bosom  bore  him  toward  the  sea 

hees  gon  to  roterdam.  peace  goe  w'^  him 

he  left  me  heavy  when  he  went  from  hence 

But  this  recomforts  me  ?    The  kind  Lo  maior 

his  Britheren  Aldermen  w*^  ther  faire  wives 

will  [fight  this]  feast  this  night  w'*"  vs.  why  soet  should  be  ao 

Addition  V. 

Lines  9-26  of  this  insertion  were  first  written  on  a  piece  of  paper  which  was  pasted  over  the  lower  portion 
of  fol.  14%  covering  t844-76  of  the  deleted  sc.  viii  b.  Subsequently  1-8  were  written  up  the  left  margin, 
1-5  on  original  leaf,  fol.  14,  and  6-8  on  the  additional  slip,  now  fol.  13*.  Lines  1-7  are  copied  from  the  draft 
on  fol.  16'',  VI  68-73.  From  26  it  is  evident  that  the  scribe  intended  his  addition  to  come  immediately 
before  and  to  be  continuous  with  the  original  sc.  ix  (fol.  14^,  +878),  though  he  made  no  attempt  to  intro- 
duce the  necessary  alterations  in  the  stage  direction.  Such  a  crude  insertion  is,  however,  impossible  since 
it  leaves  no  time  for  the  dinner,  and  the  only  manner  of  using  the  addition  is  by  making  it  into  an 
independent  scene  (sc.  viii*),  clearly  contrary  to  the  intention  of  the  scribe.  The  position  of  the  addition 
is  attested  by  the  reference  mark,  IV  240,  V  i. 

1-26  in  hand  C. 

1-2  it  is  not  quite  certain  whether  the  marginal  note  is  in  the  same  hand  as  the  text. 

1  Mess\  Dyce  omits.  2  Goodal\  second  0  doubtful :  Dyce  Goedal 

3  accompaned}  Dyce  Accompanied  7  aproch}  Dyce  aproche 

10  Erasmus}  r  altered  ?  1 1  lif}  Dyce  life 

12  ioke}  0  altered  from  a  in  darker  ink.  me}  m  altered  from  w  in  darker  ink.  Dyce  supplies  and 
after  me 

19  Britheren}  Dyce  bretheren 

20  fight}  f  certain,  ig  doubtful,  ht  probable ;  apparently  the  scribe  was  about  to  commit  the 
Spoonerism  fight  this  neast       soet}  i.  e.  soe  7       should}  Dyce  shuld 

M 


-i 


90  ^  Sir  Thomas  More  [Fols.  i3*%i6' 

moores  mery  hart  lives  by  good  Companie 
good  gentlemen  be  carefull  give  great  charge 
c  diet  be  made  daynty  for  the  tast 
for  of  all  people  that  the  earth  affords 
the  Londoners  fare  richest  at  ther  bourds 
Com  my  good  fellowes  &c ' 

\End  of  Addition  F.] 

25  Londoners]  e  altered.  26  Com]  Dyce  Cotne  Fol.  13*''  blank. 


Scs.viii%ix»]  Additions  V  and  VI  ( C,  B )  91 

®  I  Enter  A  Servingman  I  Fol.  16* 


Man  wher  be  theis  players 

all  heare  Sir 
Man  my  lord  [in  poste]  is  sent  for  to  the  courte. 

and  all  the  guests  doc  after  supper  parte 

and  for  he  will  not  troble  you  againe 

by  Me  for  your  Reward  a  sends  8  angills 

w^  many  thanks :  but  supp  before  you  goe, 

yt  is  his  will  you  should  be  farely  entreatid 

follow  I  pray  ye 
witt  this  luggins  [all]  is  your  neclegens 

wanting  witts  beard  brought  things  into  dislike 

for  other  wies  the  playe  had  bin  all  scene 

wher  now  some  curius  cittisin  [dislikte  itt,]  [dispraisd  itt]  disgraste  itt 

and  discomendinge  ytt.  all  is  dismiste, 
vice  fore  god  a  sayes  true,  but  heare  ye  Sirs  8  angells  ha 

my  lord  wold  neuer  giues  8.  angells  more  or  [el]  les  for  i  a'* 

ether  yt  shold  be  3*'.  5"  or  tenn  ^  ther  20^  wantinge  suer 
witt  twenty  to  one  tis  soe :  I  haue  a  tricke   my  lord  comes 

stand  a  side 


lord  maier  and  ladies  and  the  Rest:  be  patiente 

the  state  hathe  sent  and  I  must  nedes  be  gone 

[but  frollic(^  on]  lead  on  theare  :  :  what  seekst  thou  fellow. 

your  lordship  sent  vs  8  angills  by  your  man  and  I  haue 

loste  one  heare  amongst  the  rishes 

Addition  VI. 
Of  this  addition  1-67  (sc.  ix*)  are  quite  clearly  marked  by  C  for  insertion  between  scs.  ix  and  x,  fol.  17% 
tli57.    68-73  aJ'e  a  rough  draft  of  a  passage  which  re-appears  as  V  2-7. 

1  prefixed  by  C. 
2-73  in  hand  B. 

2  wher\  Dyce  where  3  htare\  Dyce  Heere  7  Me\  ^^  altered  from  /? 

10  pray\  T>ycepraye  14  disgraste  itt\  interlined.        disgrasie]  Dyce  disgraiste 

18  ether\  first  e  doubtful,  ?  altered  from  0  :  Dyce  other        ther\  Dyce  emend,  thers  (unnecessarily). 

stier'\  Dyce  sure 

21-35  marked  for  omission.    The  absence  in  this  passage  of  speakers'  names  (which  Dyce  supplies) 

shows  that  this  scribe  at  least  wrote  his  text  first  and  inserted  his  speakers  afterwards  (cf.  *649-58  marg. 

and  +1955-63).  23  frollic^on]  on  doubtful,  but  so  Dyce,  who  retains  the  deleted  words. 

M  3 


92 


Sir  Thomas  More 


[FoLS.  i6».'' 


8  angills  hoo  dilHuerd  yt  I  sent  them  ten. 


Lord 


1  my  lord  dilliuerd  yt.  anon  they  shall  haue  too  more. 

thats  more  then  we  hard  before  my  lord. 

am  I  a  man  of  [Righte  and]  equetie 

equallie  to  deuide  true  Righte  his  [h]owne 

and  shall  I  haue  disseauers  in  my  house 

goe  pull  the  cote  ouer  the  varlets  eares. 

ther  ar  too  many  suche :  [ile  Make  them  fuer  by  one] 

giue  them  ther  dewe.  lead  one  awaye, 

[come  fellowes  goe  w*^  me] 

In  haist  to  cownsell  whats  the  busnes  now 

that  all  so  late  his  highnes  sends  for  me. 

what  sekst  thou  fellow 
witt  nay  nothinge.  your  lordship  sent  8  angills  by  your  man 

and  I  haue  lost  too  of  them  in  the  Rishes 
Lord  wytt  looke  to  thatt.  8  angells  I  did  send  them  tenn 

ho  gauie  yt  them 
Man  I  my  lord  I  had  no  more  aboute  me 

but  buy  and  buy  they  shall  Risseaue  the  rest 
Lord  well  witt  twas  wieslye  donne  thou  plaist  witt  well  endede 

not  to  be  thus  disseauid  of  thy  Righte. 

am  I  a  man  by  offis  truely  ordaind 

equally  to  deuide  true  Righte  his  owne 

and  shall  I  haue  disseauers  in  my  house 

then  what  availes  my  bowntie.  when  such  seruants 

disseaue  the  pore  [Risseauer]  of  what  the  m"^  giues 


30 


Enter  Moore 
^th  attendaunts 
w"^  purss  &  mace 


40 


50 


26  ho6\  there  is  a  w  prefixed  in  modern  ink :  Dyce  whoo 
31  disseauers\  Dyce  diseauers  33-5  s.D.  in  hand  C. 

33  ar\  interlined.        Make\  M  altered  ?  34  attendaunts\  Dyce  Attendants 

36  Lord]  L  altered  from  m  and  d  altered  from  e  apparently ;  but  the  change  may  be  the  other  way. 
cownsell]  Dyce  counsell        busnes]  Dyce  busines 

42  ho]  Dyce  Who  (cf.  1.  26).        gauie]  sic.  46  disseauid]  Dyce  disseaued 

47  ordaind]   after  the  second  d  there  is  something  deleted  in  modem  ink ;   it  seems  likely  that 
the  scribe  wrote  ordained,  but  formed  the  last  letter  badly,  altered  eXo  d  and  omitted  to  delete  his  final  d 

48  true]  the  scribe  seems  to  have  begun  by  writing  /?,  but  it  was  sufficiently  like  a  /  for  him  to  leave 
it  unaltered  when  he  decided  that  true  was  the  desirable  word. 

50  my]  m  has  four  minims.  51  Risseauer]  au  doubtful.        what]  w  altered? 


Sc.ix»]  Addition  VI  (B)  93 

goe  one  and  pull  his  cote  ouer  his  [h]eares 

ther  ar  too  manye  such :  giue  them  ther  Righte 

witt  let  thie  fellowes  thanke  the  twas  well  dunn 

thou  now  disserueste  to  match  w*  ladye  wisdome 
Vice  god  a  mersye  wytt :  sir  you  had  a  maister  Sir  thomas  more  more  but  now  we 

shall  haue  more 
lugg  god  blesse  him  I  wold  ther  weare  more  of  his  minde  a  loues 

our  qualletie  and  yit  hees  a  larnid  man  and  knows  what 

the  world  is  60 

clo.  well  a  kinde  man  and  more  loving  then  [o"^  owne  lorde,] 

many  other,  but  I  thinke  we  ha  mett  w*^  the  first  [  ] 

luggins  first  sarud  his  man  that  had  o'  angills  and  he  maye  FOL.  IG'* 

chaunce  dine  w'^  duke  homphrye  to  morrow  beinge  turnde 

a  waye  to  daye,  come  lets  goe 
clo  and  many  such  Rewards  wold  make  vs  all  ride  and 

horsse  vs  w*^  the  best  nags  in  smith  felde  / 


my  honnorable  lord  the  maier  of  london 

accompanied  w*  his  ladye  and  hir  traine 

ar  comynge  and  ar  hard  at  hande  ^o 

to  feaste  w'**  you.  a  sargins  come  before 

[as  sent]  to  tell  your  lordship  [of  his  cominge]  [that  they  are  at] 

of  ther  neare  aproche  /      [hande  /] 

\Etid  of  Addition  VI.] 

52  eares]  an  initial  h  has  been  deleted  both  in  old  and  modem  ink. 

53  iAem  ther^  r  was  apparently  altered  from  /,  the  dot  of  which  was  allowed  to  remain  till  deleted  in 
modem  ink. 

55  disserueste]  the  second  e  is  apparently  inserted  and  partly  covers  the  following  s.     Dyce  supplies 
the  S.D.  Exit  Moore  with  Attend,  after  wisdome 

56  Sir  thomas  more]  interlined.  56-7  the  rule  between  these  lines  was  drawn  in  error. 
58  more]  interlined.        minde]  n  altered,  perhaps  only  touched  up. 

61  the  last  three  words  were  immediately  (and  wisely)  deleted  by  the  writer,  but  they  have  been 
crossed  out  again  in  modem  ink. 

62  an  erasure  at  end.    The  sense  of  62-3  seems  to  be  defective.  63  sarud]  Dyce  serud 
64  homphrye]  first  h  altered ;  ry  altered  or  perhaps  touched  up. 

67  Dyce  supplies  s.D.  Exeunt.  dSttx  felde  /  69-73  not  printed  by  Dyce  ;  cf.  V  2-7. 

73  Rest  offol.  I  e*' blank. 


\ 


FR  Sir  Thomas  More     (Old  play) 
2868  The  book  of  Sir     Thomas 

Al  More 
1911 


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